Authors
Zihan Dang, Yue Feng, Yu Mo, Linhan Jiang
Published in
Arts & health. Pages 1-22. Aug 21, 2026. Epub Aug 21, 2026.
Abstract
Mental disorders remain a global health challenge, and conventional treatments often fall short. Art therapy (AT) shows promise as a complementary approach, yet evidence beyond depression and anxiety, such as loneliness, well-being, and cognition, remains limited.
This updated systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the associations between AT and five outcomes: loneliness, psychological well-being, depression, anxiety, and cognitive function.
Following PRISMA guidelines, five major databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, CINAHL, and Medline) were searched for randomized controlled and quasi-experimental studies published from 2010 to 2024. Eligible studies assessed AT interventions for mental health outcomes. Data were pooled to estimate mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Twenty-nine studies (11 RCTs and 18 quasi-experimental studies) involving 2,077 participants aged 13-90 years were included. AT was associated with improvements in psychological well-being (MD = 5.33), depression (MD = -3.67), anxiety (MD = -4.96), and cognitive function (MD = 1.50; all p < 0.001). Loneliness demonstrated a non-significant but potentially favorable trend (MD = -3.97, p = 0.06), particularly in socially embedded formats.
AT demonstrates potential relevance as a complementary intervention within mental health care, particularly among aging populations experiencing increasing psychological and cognitive health challenges.
PMID:
42627142
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 21 Aug 2026.
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