Art therapy encourages participants to express emotions through drawing and is aimed at triggering thoughts and feelings for communication. Trained art therapists assist participants to reflect on and explore the thoughts and feelings exposed in the creative expression. This activity is seen to promote the participant's understanding of him- or herself and the situation encountered. Art therapy has been studied in patients with cancer related to management of anxiety, depression, and fatigue.
Art making is the provision of the opportunity and materials for individuals to create various types of artistic items. Art making can be seen as a diversional activity. It differs from art therapy because it does not involve interaction with a trained art therapist and does not necessarily engage the participant in exploring thoughts and feelings through the creative expression.
Walsh, S.M., Martin, S.C., & Schmidt, L.A. (2004). Testing the efficacy of a creative-arts intervention with family caregivers of patients with cancer. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 36, 214–219.
To test hypotheses that family caregivers would experience reduced stress and anxiety and have increased positive emotions from an art-making intervention
Art-making supplies were taken to patients’ bedsides or to the outpatient chemotherapy site to show patients and caregivers items that could be made. Caregivers decided on one or more activities that they could do with or without the patients’ involvement. Caregivers were given supplies and shown how to complete the activity. The artist–nurse intervention team then left the area and returned to monitor progress and offer assistance every 15–30 minutes. Participants completed study questionnaires prior to and immediately after the intervention.
Mutliple phases of care
A pretest/post-test quasi-experimental design was used.
The presession stress score mean was 13.27 ± 6, and the postscore was 9.85 ± 5.84 (p < 0.001). Cohen’s d calculation on stress scores was d = 0.44, suggesting a large effect size. Postintervention anxiety scores declined but were not reported to be statistically significant. Significantly more positive emotions were reported in the post-test evaluation (p < 0.001). It was noted that individuals who participated in the hospital inpatient units had multiple interruptions.
Involvement in art making was associated with reduction in stress and increased positive emotions immediately after the involvement. Participation at the bedside in the inpatient area was complicated by multiple interruptions.
Involvement in art making may be helpful for short-term stress reduction in caregivers of patients with cancer. Further well-designed research in this area is needed to evaluate this approach.
Walsh, S.M., Radcliffe, R.S., Castillo, L.C., Kumar, A.M., & Broschard, D.M. (2007). A pilot study to test the effects of art-making classes for family caregivers of patients with cancer. Oncology Nursing Forum, 34, 38.
To test the effects of art-making classes to reduce anxiety and stress among caregivers of patients with cancer
Art-making classes were offered as one part of an already established art program. The class involved with the research began with discussion of the study. Study participants completed self-report instruments and provided a saliva sample for cortisol testing. The art-making class was given over a two-hour period, and repeat questionnaires and saliva testing were done at the end of the session. Classes were delivered twice weekly by volunteer art interventionists in a residential facility. A variety of art-making projects were used in classes. Research team members attended each class and documented field notes during each session. Interventionists were trained in processes of caregiver experiences based on the end-of-life phase of experiential theory.
A pretest/post-test quasi-experimental design was used.
Anxiety measures showed a significant reduction in scores of the Beck Anxiety Inventory after the session, with preintervention of 7.28 ± 6.8 and postscore of 2.49 ± 4.5 (p < 0.01). No significant changes in cortisol level were reported. Field notes indicated that participants shared efforts, offered suggestions to each other, and became better acquainted. Numerous subjects refused to give samples for salivary cortisol.
Art-making classes appeared to produce a short-term reduction in anxiety level among caregivers of patients with cancer.
Findings suggest that participation in art making may reduce anxiety among caregivers momentarily, and group participation can provide an avenue for supportive caregiver interactions.