Art Therapy in Palliative Care: Study of Identification and Understanding of the Mechanisms of Change in the Patient

Fundació Institut de Recerca de l'Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau

Status: Completed

Conditions: Suffering; Psychological Stress; Advanced Cancers

Treatments: Behavioral: art therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02801045

IIBSP-ART-2016-14

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study evaluates from the patient's perspective which elements of the own artistic creative process are the source of a beneficial change for him/her and how those elements influence in their end of life experience.

Full description

In previous quantitative studies about the effect of an art therapy intervention in adult cancer inpatients of the Palliative Care Unit, the investigators evidenced significant improvements in the symptom control of malaise, anxiety, depression and pain.

This study is designed to deepen the understanding of specific action mechanisms which lead to those therapeutic benefits and quality of life implications for patients with life-threatening illness in which a situation of suffering is frequently detected.

The investigators will determine from the subjective patient's experience which specific elements of the artistic creative process (including production of art and art products) may lead to changes in the symptom perception, in meaning and healing process and in the personal perspective about the end of life situation.

Enrollment: 103 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• advanced-cancer adult inpatients of the Palliative Care Unit
• informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• altered cognitive function (Mini-Mental Test < 24)
• physical decline (palliative care team's criteria) that impedes the art therapy process

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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103 participants in 1 patient group

art therapy

Experimental group

Description:

Individual 30-60 minutes art therapy sessions, twice a week, offering visual arts materials.

Treatment:

Behavioral: art therapy