Date Presented 03/21/24
This systematic review examines the effectiveness of art-based therapy (ABT) for individuals with eating disorders. Limited evidence supports ABT’s potential, urging OTs to consider its benefits while acknowledging the need for further research.
Primary Author and Speaker: Brianna Herbert
PURPOSE: Occupational therapy (OT) practitioners play a crucial role in working with individuals with eating disorders (ED) by addressing their physical, emotional, and psychological aspects of daily functioning. Art-based therapy (ABT) offers unique benefits and potential positive impacts in the treatment of ED. This systematic review aims to investigate the effectiveness of ABT interventions in addressing ED symptoms among individuals with ED.
DESIGN/METHOD: The systematic review follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines (Moher et al., 2009) and AOTA’s (2020) Guidelines for Systematic Reviews. A comprehensive search was conducted using three databases, CINAHL, PsychNET, and PubMed, from 2000 to 2023. The articles were screened and selected by the primary speaker. The quality, rigor, and bias of the articles were assessed.
RESULTS: Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria, five were Level 2B and six were Level 3B. The results were synthesized according to type of intervention to inform clinical practice: art therapy, music therapy, dance/movement therapy, and drama therapy. Overall, a low strength of evidence was found across the varied ABT studies.
CONCLUSION: The review findings suggest a general lack of substantial evidence regarding the effectiveness of ABT in addressing symptoms of ED in individuals with ED. Similarly, the sub-groups within the review also exhibited a low level of evidence for their effectiveness.
IMPACT STATEMENT: The systematic review sheds light on the current literature gap regarding ABT interventions and research in the context of ED. OT researchers are encouraged to undertake additional studies with robust methodologies to further investigate the effectiveness of ABT for individuals with ED. Practitioners are also advised to stay abreast of new publications to ensure the integration of evidence-based practice when utilizing ABT for individuals with ED.
References
Bibb, J., Castle, D., & Newton, R. (2015). The role of music therapy in reducing post meal related anxiety for patients with anorexia nervosa. Journal of Eating Disorders, 3(1), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-015-0088-5
Brockmeyer, T., Schmidt, H., Leiteritz-Rausch, A., Zimmermann, J., Wünsch-Leiteritz, W., Leiteritz, A., & Friederich, H. C. (2021). Cognitive remediation therapy in anorexia nervosa—A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 89(10), 805. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000675
Hunt, B. J., Hagan, W. S., Pelfrey, S., Mericle, S., Harper, J. A., Palka, J. M., & McAdams, C. J. (2021). Pilot data from the Self-Blame and Perspective-Taking Intervention for eating disorders. Journal of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy, 31(1), 57–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbct.2020.11.002
Lock, J., Fitzpatrick, K. K., Agras, W. S., Weinbach, N., & Jo, B. (2018). Feasibility study combining art therapy or cognitive remediation therapy with family‐based treatment for adolescent anorexia nervosa. European Eating Disorders Review, 26(1), 62–68. https://doi.org/10.1002/erv.2571
