The Effectiveness of Art Therapy for Anxiety in Adult Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial
ObjectivesArt therapy (AT) as a treatment option for anxiety is regularly employed in clinical practice, but scientific evidence for its effectiveness is lacking, since this intervention has hardly been studied. The aim was to study the effectiveness of AT on anxiety in adult women. The specific typ...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2019-05-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01203/full |
| _version_ | 1819080583802781696 |
|---|---|
| author | Annemarie Abbing Annemarie Abbing Erik W. Baars Leo de Sonneville Leo de Sonneville Anne S. Ponstein Hanna Swaab Hanna Swaab |
| author_facet | Annemarie Abbing Annemarie Abbing Erik W. Baars Leo de Sonneville Leo de Sonneville Anne S. Ponstein Hanna Swaab Hanna Swaab |
| author_sort | Annemarie Abbing |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ObjectivesArt therapy (AT) as a treatment option for anxiety is regularly employed in clinical practice, but scientific evidence for its effectiveness is lacking, since this intervention has hardly been studied. The aim was to study the effectiveness of AT on anxiety in adult women. The specific type of AT studied was anthroposophic AT.MethodsA RCT comparing AT versus a waiting list (WL) condition on anxiety symptom severity, quality of life, and emotion regulation. Factors influencing treatment outcome were additionally explored. Participants were women, aged 18–65 years, diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder or panic disorder, with moderate to severe anxiety symptoms. The trial was registered in the Dutch Trial Registration (NTR28143).ResultsFifty-nine women were included, of which 47 completed the trial. Both per-protocol and intention-to treat analyses demonstrated effectiveness of AT compared to WL, showing a reduction in anxiety, an increase in subjective quality of life (both with large effects) and an improvement in accessibility of emotion regulation strategies (medium effect). Treatment effects remained after 3 months follow-up. Improved acceptance of emotions and improved goal-oriented action are aspects of emotion regulation that are associated with the decrease in anxiety level.ConclusionAT is effective in reducing anxiety symptoms, improving quality of life and aspects of emotion regulation. Future RCTs should use active controls (treatment as usual) and study cost-effectiveness. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T19:47:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-49b16ca70f754c28ae598e1b2cb6bdbb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T19:47:12Z |
| publishDate | 2019-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-49b16ca70f754c28ae598e1b2cb6bdbb2022-12-21T18:52:18ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782019-05-011010.3389/fpsyg.2019.01203436010The Effectiveness of Art Therapy for Anxiety in Adult Women: A Randomized Controlled TrialAnnemarie Abbing0Annemarie Abbing1Erik W. Baars2Leo de Sonneville3Leo de Sonneville4Anne S. Ponstein5Hanna Swaab6Hanna Swaab7Faculty of Health, University of Applied Sciences Leiden, Leiden, NetherlandsClinical Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, NetherlandsFaculty of Health, University of Applied Sciences Leiden, Leiden, NetherlandsClinical Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, NetherlandsLeiden Institute of Brain and Cognition, Leiden, NetherlandsFaculty of Health, University of Applied Sciences Leiden, Leiden, NetherlandsClinical Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, NetherlandsLeiden Institute of Brain and Cognition, Leiden, NetherlandsObjectivesArt therapy (AT) as a treatment option for anxiety is regularly employed in clinical practice, but scientific evidence for its effectiveness is lacking, since this intervention has hardly been studied. The aim was to study the effectiveness of AT on anxiety in adult women. The specific type of AT studied was anthroposophic AT.MethodsA RCT comparing AT versus a waiting list (WL) condition on anxiety symptom severity, quality of life, and emotion regulation. Factors influencing treatment outcome were additionally explored. Participants were women, aged 18–65 years, diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder or panic disorder, with moderate to severe anxiety symptoms. The trial was registered in the Dutch Trial Registration (NTR28143).ResultsFifty-nine women were included, of which 47 completed the trial. Both per-protocol and intention-to treat analyses demonstrated effectiveness of AT compared to WL, showing a reduction in anxiety, an increase in subjective quality of life (both with large effects) and an improvement in accessibility of emotion regulation strategies (medium effect). Treatment effects remained after 3 months follow-up. Improved acceptance of emotions and improved goal-oriented action are aspects of emotion regulation that are associated with the decrease in anxiety level.ConclusionAT is effective in reducing anxiety symptoms, improving quality of life and aspects of emotion regulation. Future RCTs should use active controls (treatment as usual) and study cost-effectiveness.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01203/fullanxietyanxiety disordersart therapyemotion regulationgeneralized anxiety disordersocial anxiety disorder |
| spellingShingle | Annemarie Abbing Annemarie Abbing Erik W. Baars Leo de Sonneville Leo de Sonneville Anne S. Ponstein Hanna Swaab Hanna Swaab The Effectiveness of Art Therapy for Anxiety in Adult Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial Frontiers in Psychology anxiety anxiety disorders art therapy emotion regulation generalized anxiety disorder social anxiety disorder |
| title | The Effectiveness of Art Therapy for Anxiety in Adult Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_full | The Effectiveness of Art Therapy for Anxiety in Adult Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_fullStr | The Effectiveness of Art Therapy for Anxiety in Adult Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Effectiveness of Art Therapy for Anxiety in Adult Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_short | The Effectiveness of Art Therapy for Anxiety in Adult Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_sort | effectiveness of art therapy for anxiety in adult women a randomized controlled trial |
| topic | anxiety anxiety disorders art therapy emotion regulation generalized anxiety disorder social anxiety disorder |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01203/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT annemarieabbing theeffectivenessofarttherapyforanxietyinadultwomenarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT annemarieabbing theeffectivenessofarttherapyforanxietyinadultwomenarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT erikwbaars theeffectivenessofarttherapyforanxietyinadultwomenarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT leodesonneville theeffectivenessofarttherapyforanxietyinadultwomenarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT leodesonneville theeffectivenessofarttherapyforanxietyinadultwomenarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT annesponstein theeffectivenessofarttherapyforanxietyinadultwomenarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT hannaswaab theeffectivenessofarttherapyforanxietyinadultwomenarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT hannaswaab theeffectivenessofarttherapyforanxietyinadultwomenarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT annemarieabbing effectivenessofarttherapyforanxietyinadultwomenarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT annemarieabbing effectivenessofarttherapyforanxietyinadultwomenarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT erikwbaars effectivenessofarttherapyforanxietyinadultwomenarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT leodesonneville effectivenessofarttherapyforanxietyinadultwomenarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT leodesonneville effectivenessofarttherapyforanxietyinadultwomenarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT annesponstein effectivenessofarttherapyforanxietyinadultwomenarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT hannaswaab effectivenessofarttherapyforanxietyinadultwomenarandomizedcontrolledtrial AT hannaswaab effectivenessofarttherapyforanxietyinadultwomenarandomizedcontrolledtrial |