Art therapy shows promise for young people with severe mental health conditions
A systematic review reports symptom improvements and high acceptability, but its abstract leaves the size of benefits and the treatment comparisons unclear.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The review found encouraging evidence for art therapy in young people facing acute or severe mental health difficulties, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder. Randomized trials reported improvements in several symptoms, and the research synthesis described high acceptability. However, the abstract does not establish how large the benefits were or which delivery approaches worked best.
Studies differed in delivery, dose and duration. The abstract gives no numerical treatment effects, confidence intervals or comparator details, limiting assessment of the magnitude and precision of the reported benefits.
What the trials reported
Randomized trials reported reduced symptom severity for post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and suicidal thoughts. Other study designs described improvements in anxiety, emotional skills and communication, but those designs provide different levels of support for treatment effects.
Acceptability is a separate outcome
The synthesis described art therapy as highly acceptable to participants. That addresses how an intervention is received; it does not, by itself, quantify symptom relief or establish that every young person would benefit.
The original publication
Art therapy with children and adolescents experiencing acute or severe mental health conditions: A systematic review.
Versitano S, Tesson S, Lee CW et al.
Aust N Z J Psychiatry · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40916845
- Record checked
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