Spectrum of Art Therapy Practice: Systematic Literature Review of Art Therapy, 1983–2014
Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine art therapists' fit in the continuum of health delivery services defined by behavioral health. All publications in Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association from 1983 (Volume 1) to 2014 (Volume 31) were systematically reviewed to understand how art therapy has been applied. The results indicate that art therapy has included the five behavioral health practices (prevention, lifestyle management, wellness, therapy, and rehabilitation), but also expands into assessment and social action. The majority of practices identified were comprised of therapy and assessment. The study has implications for identifying a spectrum of art therapy practices and defining the profession.
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A substantial number of systematic reviews examine the effectiveness of art therapy regarding individual outcomes, such as trauma, anxiety, mental health in people who have cancer, dementia, and potential harms and benefits of the intervention.
“There is a substantial number of systematic reviews which examine the effectiveness of art therapy regarding individual outcomes, such as trauma [29–33], anxiety [19] mental health in people who have cancer [23, 34, 35] dementia [7], and potential harms and benefits of the intervention [36].”
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 [33]
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- Authors
- Potash, J. S., Mann, S. M., Martinez, J. C., Roach, A. B., & Wallace, N. M.
- ORCID
- Potash, Jordan S.
- Venue
- Art Therapy
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2016-07-02
- Volume
- 33
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 119-127
- ISSN
- 0742-1656 (ISSN-L)
- 2159-9394
- OpenAlex
- W2491259492
- Cited by
- 21
- References
- 68
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 3 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 7.28
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Art Therapy (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Conservation › Art Therapy and Mental Health
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Occupational Therapy › Occupational Therapy Practice and Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
- Keywords
- prevention, lifestyle management, wellness, rehabilitation, assessment, social action
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