Evaluating the Effectiveness of Art Therapy on Mood, Anxiety, and Pain Levels in Cancer Patients

Case Comprehensive Cancer Center (Case CCC)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Cancer

Treatments: Behavioral: Emotions Thermometer; Behavioral: Art Therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02659345

CASE5Z15

Details and patient eligibility

About

Participants in this research study are asked to tell about their experience with art therapy. Participants in this research study are currently receiving chemotherapy treatment for cancer. The purpose of this study is to learn how art therapy affects mood, anxiety, pain, and emotions of individuals with cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy.

Full description

In this single-center single-arm non-controlled descriptive study, we aim to describe the effects of a single art therapy session on a cancer patient's mood, pain, anxiety level.

Primary Objectives

To assess the effect of art therapy on the cancer patient's mood To assess the effect of art therapy on the cancer patient's anxiety To assess the effect of art therapy on the cancer patient's pain

Secondary Objectives

To explore differences in response to art therapy by ethnic group, race, age, sex, caregiver support, cancer diagnosis, reason for visit, and marital status To explore differences in response to art therapy by primary concern expressed by patients during art therapy sessions

Enrollment: 50 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Subjects are able to give informed consent
• Any cancer diagnosis
• Actively undergoing any chemotherapy treatment at Maroone Cancer Center
• Patients who have never utilized art therapy at Maroone Cancer Center
• Speaks, reads, and writes in English
• Able and willing to participate in an art therapy session at Maroone Cancer Center

Exclusion criteria

• Patients without cancer diagnosis
• Patients not actively undergoing chemotherapy at Maroone Cancer Center
• Individuals unable to complete art therapy activities independently due to physical and/or mental impairment
• Under 18 years of age (minors)
• Patients who have dementia or a legal guardian
• Unable to speak, read, and write in English
• Patients who have previously utilized art therapy at Maroone Cancer Center

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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50 participants in 1 patient group

Art Therapy

Experimental group

Description:

The art therapy intervention will be executed by an art therapist at the Cancer Center. The same art therapy practices that are utilized in daily practice will be employed in this study. The intervention will include assessment of patient's needs and goals in addition to utilization of various art modalities. Sessions will conclude with processing of the art and supportive counseling as appropriate. Pilot testing of the intervention has been performed informally at Maroone Cancer Center with positive feedback provided by patients and their support systems to the physicians, nurses, and art therapist. Change in pain, emotional distress, depression, adn anxiety will be measured by the emotions thermometer.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Art Therapy

Behavioral: Emotions Thermometer