Exploring the experiences of individuals living with persistent pain using a visual art diary

Abstract

Introduction Persistent pain significantly impacts daily living. Visual arts interventions can have positive outcomes, but little is known about benefits for people with persistent pain. This study aimed to explore participant experiences of utilising visual art in expressing and managing their persistent pain experience through a visual diary. Method As part of a small exploratory study nested in a larger project, participants with a history of persistent pain were recruited from a local pain management clinic. Six participants with persistent pain attended five weekly intervention sessions involving art observation, creation and discussion, at the Art Gallery of NSW. Participants explored their ideas about their pain experience through artmaking using visual and written data from self-reported pain diaries. Thematic analysis was used. Results Analysis of five diaries was conducted. Visual and written expressions of the pain experience varied. Colour was used by participants to represent ideas and emotions. Capital letters were used to convey tone, or emphasis. Three main themes emerged from the written and visual data: ‘The lived experience of pain’, ‘The powerful drive for growth beyond change itself’ and ‘Personal values and perceptions guiding daily living and decision-making’. Conclusion This study provides insights into the potential benefits of using visual arts to help manage persistent pain experiences and improve health outcomes.

The use of Arts-Based Research in Chronic Pain: A Scoping Review

“…All articles included women in their sample, with 5 also including men 19 , 22 , 23 , 28 , 30 and two including gender-diverse individuals. 24 , 26 Ages ranged across articles from 16 to 79 years. Of the articles that reported on ethnicity, participants were found to predominately self-report as white.…”

“… 19 , 21 , 24 , 25 , 28 Twelve articles reported employing qualitative methodologies, such as phenomenology, narrative inquiry, or generic approaches, with methods of data collection primarily including focus groups, individual interviews, and the artwork itself 19 , 21 – 28 , 30–32 ; one article indicated the use of repeated measures in an experimental design 20 ; and another used a multiphase, multimethod design. 29 Arts-based modalities used included drawing/sketching ( n = 6), 19 , 20 , 22 , 25 , 27 , 28 photos ( n = 4), 21 , 23 , 24 , 32 painting ( n = 2), 22 , 25 body mapping ( n = 2), 30 , 31 e-book construction ( n = 1), 29 use of a pain diary on the process of observing and creating visual art ( n = 1), 26 and multimodal art workshops ( n = 1). 31 In eight articles, artwork was treated as data and subjected to analysis by researchers, yet there was limited elaboration on the specifics of the artwork analysis.…”

“…Color was used to emphasize emotions such as despair. The pictures included representation of temporal change, either from self before pain to self with pain or from self with pain to expectation of a self in the future without pain Lou et al, 26 Australia To explore utility of visual art in expressing and managing participants’ persistent pain experiences through a visual diary 6 individuals (3 female, 2 male, 1 non-binary; aged 21–71 years; ethnicity not reported) Participants with generalized pain and posttraumatic pain, fibromyalgia, and connective tissue disorders Duration of pain not reported Qualitative descriptive approach Data collection: Participants attended 5 weekly sessions involving art observation, creation, and discussion. Through the process of creating art, participants explored their ideas about pain experiences and behaviors using visual and written data in self-reported pain diaries Data analysis: Thematic analysis Use of a pain diary including visual art and engaging in art-based activities enabled participants to explore their experiences of chronic pain.…”

“…Six investigated chronic pain in general, at multiple body sites. 21 , 22 , 26 , 28 , 31 , 32 Two articles investigated pain in fibromyalgia 27 , 30 ; two articles investigated complex chronic pain cases. 19 , 25 Abichandani et al 20 focused on chronic neck pain; Hughes et al 23 focused on individuals with paraplegia-related pain; Reid et al 29 recruited family members to study chronic pain in children, and Kattari and Beltrán 24 focused on chronic pain in individuals with disabilities.…”

“…Several authors who observed therapeutic effects suggested arts-based methods as tools for specific practitioner groups. For instance, Lou et al 26 concluded that visual art creation and pain diaries can be effective tools for occupational therapists working with patients with chronic pain. Similarly, Henare et al 22 suggested the use of art therapy as an expressive medium for occupational therapists to incorporate into their practice.…”