A within-subjects experimental design examined differences in functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) assessment of prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation with two virtual reality (VR) drawing conditions (rote tracing and creative self-expression) with and without a fragrance stimulus. Participants were healthy adults and included 18 women, 6…

Fear of childbirth (FOC) can lead to maternal distress during and after pregnancy. The aim of this randomized controlled trial (RCT) was to examine whether art therapy as an adjunct to midwife-led counseling (study group) could reduce FOC significantly more than midwife-led counseling alone (control group). The on-treatment analysis included 82…

The COVID-19 pandemic emphasises the importance of care for our societies, yet underscores the inferiority of relational caring practices. During this time, we studied the participatory work of artists working with older adults using participant observations, in-depth interviews and visual ethnography. In this article, we present a case study of…

In order to advance Chinese culturally-appropriate art therapy practice, a qualitative study identified key indigenous factors. The investigation documented contextual adaptations made by 7 Taiwanese "sojourner" art therapists. Inductive thematic analysis yielded six themes, which identified from the participants' descriptions of art…

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a threat to the individual and marital integrity of couples as the relationship is called upon to evolve into a caregiver-patient one. In Quebec (Canada), there are currently very few services offered in which these couples can participate together as a couple. In a qualitative multi-case study, five couples had the…

The purpose of this study is to analyze how immigrant youths' experiences of collage art therapy were shown in their emotional changes. Research question is as follow: How do the emotional changes of immigrant youths, who participated in the collage group art therapy program, appear in their art works? For this end, 3 immigrant youths were chosen…

This article discusses the clinical benefit of comparing and integrating responses to 2 drawing tasks based on a small study that explored self-agency representations in children with disruptive behavior problems. Qualitative analysis of the children's free drawing and a Person Picking an Apple from a Tree (PPAT) task, as well as comparison of…

This pilot study explored how creative engagement could serve as a way to navigate the personal loss experiences of professional art therapists. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 3 participants. The results identified 6 themes and 16 subthemes: balancing personal experiences and professional practice, awareness of time, the loss…

Routinely prescribed psychological therapies for depression are not always effective. Arts therapies, particularly Dance Movement Psychotherapy, may offer additional therapeutic mechanisms for depression. Therefore, client-reported helpful factors from various therapy types, along with client preferences, are key in devising new therapeutic…

The Embodied Art Therapy Process (TEATP) focuses on the co-creation of embodied artistic expressions to promote self-awareness and autonomy for children. A case study describes how TEATP was implemented to support a child in gaining self-awareness and autonomy. Awareness of her own body, sensations, and feeling allowed her to assert her voice and…

Through everyday encounters, art therapists are continuously developing their own professional discourse. This professionally bound talk, forever evolving, both separates and binds art therapists with other mental health professionals. The purpose of this inquiry was to examine through an online survey how art therapists speak about their scope of…

This program evaluation investigated the Mindfulness and Art Therapy Group Program's (MATG-P) effectiveness for children's mental health outcomes and interpersonal impacts. MATG-P provided eight weekly child therapy groups, two conjoint parent-child meetings, and ongoing meetings with teachers. Participants included 83 5- to 12-year-old children,…

Undergraduate art therapy programs outnumber graduate programs in the United States, yet they lack a parallel set of educational standards. An online survey collected data from 38 out of 54 undergraduate art therapy programs. Similarities among programs included: curricular requirements, credential-holder provided advising and fieldwork…

In January 2020, a new state-wide art therapy in prisons program was established to bring art therapy to youth offenders in four prisons to help mitigate obstacles to their education, such as emotional dysregulation, behavioral issues, and cognitive difficulties. Shortly thereafter COVID-19 halted regular programming. In a system where…

This study examined the effects of group art therapy on self-concept and peer relationships among adolescents using a mixed-method approach. Twelve recruited adolescents from a high school in Northern Taiwan attended weekly 2-h group art therapy sessions for 8 weeks. Through a discovery-oriented approach incorporating focus group interviews and…