Is art therapy just for children?

Art therapy is often associated with children, but it is a well-established and effective therapeutic modality for adults across a wide range of contexts. A systematic review by Hu et al. (2021) found that art therapy has been successfully used with individuals experiencing depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions, with positive outcomes in reducing psychological symptoms. The non-verbal and experiential nature of artmaking offers a therapeutic channel that talk therapy alone may not reach, particularly for experiences that feel too difficult or abstract to articulate (Hu et al., 2021).

For adults navigating anxiety, art therapy has shown measurable benefits. In a randomised controlled trial, Abbing et al. (2019) demonstrated that art therapy significantly reduced anxiety symptoms, improved quality of life, and enhanced emotion regulation in adult women experiencing generalised anxiety, social anxiety, or panic, with effects maintained at three-month follow-up. A broader systematic review by Abbing et al. (2018) supported these findings, identifying relaxation, access to unconscious traumatic memories, and improved emotion regulation as hypothesised working mechanisms of art therapy for anxious adults.

Art therapy also plays a significant role in medical settings. Elimimian et al. (2020) found that a pilot art therapy programme improved emotional distress, depression, anxiety, and pain among adults receiving chemotherapy for cancer. Joschko et al. (2024), in a large-scale meta-analysis published in JAMA Network Open, confirmed that active visual art therapy was associated with therapeutic benefits across mental health, neurological, and somatic conditions in approximately 4,200 participants aged 4 to 96 years. In the context of ongoing mental health challenges, Uttley et al. (2015) found that group art therapy was associated with significant positive changes in symptoms in 7 of 11 included trials involving adults navigating depression and anxiety.

Beyond clinical populations, art therapy has demonstrated value for individuals with complex personality patterns and trauma histories. Haeyen et al. (2017) showed in a randomised controlled trial that art therapy reduced unhelpful patterns of thinking and behaviour while helping individuals develop adaptive, positive ways of coping indicative of better mental health and self-regulation. For trauma specifically, Schouten et al. (2014) conducted a systematic review of art therapy for traumatised adults and found that half of the included controlled studies reported a significant decrease in psychological trauma symptoms. Taken together, these findings underscore that art therapy is a credible, evidence-supported intervention for adults navigating complex psychological and physical challenges.

No artistic skill or training is required to benefit from art therapy, as the focus is on the process and personal meaning rather than the finished product (Haeyen et al., 2020). Group art therapy also fosters social connection and reduces isolation, making it particularly valuable for older adults, refugees, and others navigating disconnection (Zadeh and Jogia, 2023).

References

Abbing, A., Ponstein, A., van Hooren, S., de Sonneville, L., Swaab, H. and Baars, E.W. (2018) 'The effectiveness of art therapy for anxiety in adults: A systematic review of randomised and non-randomised controlled trials', PLoS ONE, 13(12), e0208716. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0208716.

Abbing, A., Baars, E.W., de Sonneville, L., Ponstein, A. and Swaab, H. (2019) 'The effectiveness of art therapy for anxiety in adult women: A randomized controlled trial', Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1203. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01203.

Elimimian, E.B., Elson, L., Stone, E., Butler, R., Doll, M., Roshon, S., Kondaki, C., Padgett, A. and Nahleh, Z. (2020) 'A pilot study of improved psychological distress with art therapy in patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy', BMC Cancer, 20, 888. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-020-07380-5.

Haeyen, S., van Hooren, S., van der Veld, W. and Hutschemaekers, G. (2017) 'Efficacy of art therapy in individuals with personality disorders cluster B/C: A randomized controlled trial', Journal of Personality Disorders, 31(4), 524–537. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1521/pedi_2017_31_312.

Haeyen, S., Chakhssi, F. and van Hooren, S. (2020) 'Benefits of art therapy in people diagnosed with personality disorders: A quantitative survey', Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 686. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00686.

Hu, J., Zhang, J., Hu, L.-Y., Yu, H. and Xu, J. (2021) 'Art therapy: A complementary treatment for mental disorders', Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 686005. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.686005.

Joschko, R., Klatte, C., Grabowska, W., Roll, S., Berghöfer, A. and Willich, S.N. (2024) 'Active visual art therapy and health outcomes', JAMA Network Open, 7(9), e2428709. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.28709.

Schouten, K.A., de Niet, G.J., Knipscheer, J.W., Kleber, R.J. and Hutschemaekers, G. (2014) 'The effectiveness of art therapy in the treatment of traumatized adults: A systematic review on art therapy and trauma', Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 15(3), 220–228. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838014555032.

Uttley, L., Stevenson, M., Scope, A., Rawdin, A. and Sutton, A. (2015) 'The clinical and cost effectiveness of group art therapy for people with non-psychotic mental health disorders: A systematic review and cost-effectiveness analysis', BMC Psychiatry, 15, 143. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-015-0528-4.

Zadeh, R. and Jogia, J. (2023) 'The use of art therapy in alleviating mental health symptoms in refugees: A literature review', International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 25(3). Available at: https://doi.org/10.32604/ijmhp.2023.022491.