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.
Bar-Sela, G., Atid, L., Danos, S., Gabay, N., & Epelbaum, R. (2007). Art therapy improved depression and influenced fatigue levels in cancer patients on chemotherapy. Psycho-Oncology, 16, 980–984.
The intervention consisted of once weekly art therapy sessions to teach patients to act in a more conscious way by painting with water-based paints. The intervention was provided by an art therapist. The duration of the sessions varied. Those who completed four or more sessions (n = 19) were compared to those who participated for two weeks or less (n = 41).
The study was conducted in an ambulatory setting of a cancer center in northern Israel.
The study used a single-arm, open-label design.
For treatment with art therapy, a patient requires referral to an art therapist.