Effectiveness of group art therapy on quality of life in paediatric patients with cancer: A randomized controlled trial
Abstract
Objectives Children with cancer undergoing chemotherapy experience many adverse effects. The effectiveness of painting- and handcrafting-based art therapy on the various dimensions of health-related quality of life in paediatric outpatients previously diagnosed with heterogeneity of malignancy was evaluated in the present study.Design In an experimental randomized controlled trial, a total of 60 children aged 7-13 years previously diagnosed with malignancy together with their parents were assigned randomly either to an experimental (30 patients) or a control group (30 patients) in 2017 in Iraq. The patients in the experimental group participated in painting and handcrafting group art therapy (creative art therapy) conducted by a professional fine artist for a one-month period. The dimensions of health-related quality of life in both study groups were measured through the KIDSCREEN-10 Index after project completion.Results The patients in the experimental group were significantly more physically active and energetic (P < 0.001), were less depressed and emotional, and had fewer stressful feelings (P = 0.004). Moreover, they enjoyed their social and leisure time more and participated more in social activities (P = 0.003) in addition to an improvement in their relationships with other children (P = 0.043) and had better overall health status (P < 0.001). However, the children's overall interaction with other children, parents, and healthcare providers (P = 0.074) and their perception of cognitive capacity for school performance (P = 0.257) were not significantly different between the two groups.Conclusions The findings of the study suggest that exposure to painting- and handcrafting-based art therapy improves the overall health-related quality of life in children with cancer.
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The existing evidence on art therapy effectiveness is characterised by conflicting results.
“However, the existing evidence is characterised by conflicting results.”
From The effect of active visual art therapy on health outcomes: protocol of a systematic review of randomised controlled trials (2022) · cites this paper as [15]
Existing literature examining the effectiveness of art therapy has shown some positive results across a wide variety of treatment indications, such as the treatment of depression, anxiety, psychosis, the enhancement of mental wellbeing, and the complementary treatment of cancer.
“The existing literature examining the effectiveness of art therapy has shown some positive results across a wide variety of treatment indications, such as the treatment of depression [3, 18], anxiety [19, 20], psychosis [21], the enhancement of mental wellbeing [22], and the complementary treatment of cancer [15, 23].”
From The effect of active visual art therapy on health outcomes: protocol of a systematic review of randomised controlled trials (2022) · cites this paper as [15]
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Joschko, R., Roll, S., Willich, S. N., & Berghöfer, A. (2022) · Systematic Reviews · doi:10.1186/s13643-022-01976-7 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
“The existing literature examining the effectiveness of art therapy has shown some positive results across a wide variety of treatment indications, such as the treatment of depression [3, 18], anxiety [19, 20], psychosis [21], the enhancement of mental wellbeing [22], and the complementary treatment of cancer [15, 23].”
BackgroundResult
- Authors
- Abdulah, D. M., & Abdulla, B. M. O.
- Affiliations
- University of Duhok (IQ)
- Ministry of Education (IQ)
- Corresponding author
- Abdulah, Deldar Morad
- Venue
- Complementary Therapies in Medicine
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2018-12
- Volume
- 41
- Pages
- 180-185
- ISSN
- 0965-2299 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2893496356
- Cited by
- 100
- References
- 32
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 2
- FWCI
- 96.24
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Complementary Therapies in Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Conservation › Art Therapy and Mental Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Childhood Cancer Survivors' Quality of Life
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
- Keywords
- group art therapy, health-related quality of life, childhood cancer, painting, handcrafting, KIDSCREEN-10, chemotherapy side effects, depression, social functioning, parental involvement
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Antineoplastic Agents, Art Therapy, Child, Humans, Iraq, Neoplasms, Quality of Life
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