Art therapy improves experienced quality of life among women undergoing treatment for breast cancer: a randomized controlled study

Abstract

Women with breast cancer are naturally exposed to strain related to diagnosis and treatment, and this influences their experienced quality of life (QoL). The present paper reports the effect, with regard to QoL aspects, of an art therapy intervention among 41 women undergoing radiotherapy treatment for breast cancer. The women were randomized to an intervention group with individual art therapy sessions for 1 h/week (n = 20), or to a control group (n = 21). The WHOQOL-BREF and EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire-BR23, were used for QoL assessment, and administrated on three measurement occasions, before the start of radiotherapy and 2 and 6 months later. The results indicate an overall improvement in QoL aspects among women in the intervention group. A significant increase in total health, total QoL, physical health and psychological health was observed in the art therapy group. A significant positive difference within the art therapy group was also seen, concerning future perspectives, body image and systemic therapy side effects. The present study provides strong support for the use of art therapy to improve QoL for women undergoing radiotherapy treatment for breast cancer.

Systematic review and economic modelling of the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of art therapy among people with non-psychotic mental health disorders

“…One study was reported in three sources to use a 'trained' art therapist. [62][63][64] One study reported the art therapist as 'licensed'. 56 Two studies reported using a 'qualified' art therapist.…”

Intervención con Arteterapia en alumnado de Primaria con déficits de atención

“…Las aplicaciones en población clínica adulta ponen de manifiesto la utilidad de estas técnicas, por ejemplo, en pacientes diagnosticados de esquizofrenia (Patterson, Debate, Anju, Waller y Crawford, 2011), en madres con depresión leve y moderada postnatal (Perry, Thurston y Osborn, 2008), en pacientes con enfermedad de Alzheimer (Guetin et al, 2009), y en los efectos de los tratamientos y manejo de síntomas oncológicos (Monti et al, 2006;Öster et al, 2006;Svensk et al, 2009;Wood, Molassiotis y Payne, 2011), entre otros.…”

The role of cultural involvement of patients for their social welfare

“…This kind of initiatives do not include people into culture producing process, rather it invites participants to revel cultural events together with other people despite they are participants of initiative or not, in other words -be part of natural audience. Despite active or passive participation in culture strengthens feeling of belonging to community, stimulates positive experience and feelings [24], any kind of relation between person and culture has a health benefits, despite of participating or attending culture. Cultural engaged social initiatives addressing health and QoL are found throughout the world: in Great Britain prescription of culture (2004) later (2010) recalled "Social Prescription" linked patients to participate in particular social actions (membership in social networks, volunteering clubs, etc.)…”