The purpose of this study was to evaluate if a single session mindfulness-based art therapy doodle intervention may support and improve: (a) mindfulness, (b) mindful creativity, and (c) positive and negative emotional states. A general community sample of 71 adult participants engaged in the mindful doodling virtual two-hour workshops. Based on…

This study investigated art therapy-based self-help online tasks (ATB-SHOT) as a means to support university students during the COVID-19 lockdown by (a) measuring effectiveness on mood repair (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule and Self-Assessment Manikin scales, pre- and postintervention) and (b) correlating outcomes with participants'…

This study investigated the effect of mandala coloring on the attention level of children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Iran. This research was a quasi-experimental pre-post study (N = 38) with a control group. The results showed that mandala coloring statistically increased the attention level of children with ADHD both…

An autobiographical, narrative art therapy approach to treat drug addiction was co-developed at the Methadone Clinic of Muhimbili National Hospital, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. The 10-session art therapy intervention included a group of 7 men. The protocol, as illustrated with a case example, suggests that it could help resolve deep-seated pain,…

This publication presents the qualitative findings from a mixed-method pilot study on three- and four-drawing protocols for chronic pain, which have demonstrated significant positive quantitative results. For this report, thematic analysis and magnitude coding of drawing titles, narratives, and characteristics including resource representations…

Art therapy can be particularly successful in addressing the specific needs of individuals struggling with anorexia nervosa (AN) through the use of the creative process. This article provides an understanding of the effect of malnourishment on the brain for individuals with AN and discusses how their unique needs can be met through the application…

Portrait therapy entails an art therapist co-creating portraits of patients diagnosed with life-limiting illnesses and exhibiting it in a museum art gallery. A description of portrait therapy practice draws on the portraits, collages, and prose poems of two patients, along with feedback from exhibition visitors and patients' families. For…

For female adolescent and young adults with autism, a narrative approach to art therapy can provide a forum to highlight their voices. In multi-week art therapy group that included creating their own collections of art to display in a gallery, clients described their identities related to understanding their diagnosis and intersectional identities.

A participatory pilot study researched mindfulness sessions informed by art therapy for adolescent girls suffering from headaches. Researchers worked closely with 8 participants to customize and implement an appropriate mindfulness-based art intervention. Program evaluation included both quantitative and qualitative outcomes, including pre- and…

Art therapy has the potential to address some of the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by promoting sensory regulation, supporting psychomotor development, and facilitating communication. The multisensory nature of art materials and the relational aspect of art making lends itself to the treatment of the challenges inherent in ASD…

This study explores the subjective experience of art therapists who work with bereaved clients. Eight art therapists were given an art-based task and completed a semistructured interview. Qualitative analysis revealed 3 themes conceived in axes: (a) facilitating emotional expressiveness and control, (b) fluctuating between presence and absence of…

This article describes a randomized, controlled trial (N = 38) that compared art therapy in conjunction with cognitive processing therapy (CPT) to CPT alone for veterans with combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder. Participants were randomized to either the experimental condition of 8 sessions of CPT and 8 sessions of individual art therapy…

Although individual and group art therapy is beneficial for individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD), progression of the disease negatively affects visual processing, which suggests the need to modify art-based interventions. This case study (N = 1) used a psychological well-being scale to compare nonmodified art therapy for an individual with…

This experimental study examined the validity of 3 underlying mechanisms that have been proposed in the research literature to explain the anxiety-reducing effect of coloring mandalas: distraction, structure, and centering. Four conditions were tested: (a) freely coloring a mandala, (b) coloring a mandala with preset colors, (c) freely drawing a…

This multiple case study investigated the impact of art therapy treatment on depressive symptoms in women diagnosed with infertility. A mixed-methods study design was implemented in which 13 participants each engaged in 6 individual art therapy sessions. The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) was administered before and after the 6 sessions,…