UNASSIGNED: This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of coloring activity of circular symmetrical shape with complex patterns, so-called mandala, on anxiety associated with chronic illness in three different ambulatory medical situations (general consultation, psychiatric day hospital, and hemodialysis session).
UNASSIGNED: Thirty patients were included in three groups and came from three different ambulatory medical situations: a hemodialysis group (n = 10), a psychiatric day hospital group (n = 10), and a nephrology consultation group (n = 10). We asked the patients to fill STAI-S and STAI-T questionnaires before to color complex circular shape with complex patterns, then to fill the STAI-S questionnaire again and a questionnaire on the experience of the activity.
UNASSIGNED: The results show that the STAI-S score was significantly lower after coloring for the hemodialysis (p = 0.02) and psychiatric groups (p = 0.005) but not for the general consultation group (p = 0.26). STAI-T scores did not differ between groups. The distribution of colors in the mandala was different in the three groups of patients. A positive subjective experience of the activity was found in all groups.
UNASSIGNED: These results show the effectiveness of a coloring activity of a circular shape with complex patterns on anxiety associated with chronic illness in care environment. The different distribution of the colors of the mandala in the three groups raises the question of the influence of the context on the mood of the patients and the deeper meaning of the choice of colors and their placement in the mandala. Our study reinforces the multiple applications of art activities in different medical disciplines and encourages their development within healthcare settings.

This paper examines how older adults who participated in an online photovoice-based group intervention program reported their experience. In a qualitative-phenomenological study, in which 13 older-adult people participated, data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed through content analysis. The findings point to three central themes: a) Challenges-technical difficulties, difficulties in finding a subject for photography, investing time in photography, and an emotional-intellectual effort to put their experience into photography; b) Growth: New knowledge and skills-acquiring new knowledge, acquiring skills, experiencing skills regardless of age, and empowerment; c) Meaning-reflexivity, the ability to project feelings onto images, connection to the outside world, mindfulness, ability to choose, creativity, and critical consciousness. The findings share the way in which the use of creative visual engagement with photography contributed to coping with various challenges and enabled various gains within the process among the older-adult participants.

Art-based interventions, such as classroom drama workshops (CDWs), increasingly form part of a collection of mental health-promoting activities introduced in school settings. While research points to the potential benefits of CDWs for the mental well-being of refugee and migrant adolescents, the mechanisms to such improvement are less understood. In this article we respond to the need for qualitative evidence of how CDW interventions affect refugee and migrant adolescents\' experience. The study draws on eight focus group discussions (FGDs) with 41 adolescents, four semi-structured interviews with teachers and a school coordinator, and written documents from two drama therapists. Our thematic analysis revealed that the CDWs were found to foster trust and improve social relations in the classroom-key facets of bonding social capital. Several processes were described as being linked to these changes. Participants spoke about how the CDWs were facilitated in an emancipatory and safe manner, creating social spaces where the adolescents could have fun together, share, and bear witness to each other\'s stories, as well as experiencing a sense of agency. In some cases, however, activities in the CDWs crossed the learners\' psychological boundaries, which led to withdrawal and a loss of trust. We conclude that whilst CDWs have the potential to facilitate bonding social capital amongst refugee and migrant adolescents and their teachers, this potential hinges on how the CDWs are facilitated.

UNASSIGNED: University students are identified as a high-risk group for mental health problems. Artworks have been found effective in enhancing individuals\' mental well-being in different populations, but none have been conducted on university students. This study was to address this research gap to determine the feasibility and estimate the preliminary effects of Zentangle and Pastel Nagomi on the mental well-being of undergraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic.
UNASSIGNED: This was a 3-arm randomized controlled trial, with 33 undergraduates allocated to two 8-week artworks (Zentangle or Pastel Nagomi Art group) and a control group. Data were collected at baseline, and weeks 4, 6, 8, and 12. Focus group interviews were conducted at the 12-week follow-up.
UNASSIGNED: The consent and attrition rates were 80.5 and 6.06%, respectively. The attendance rate ranged from 83.3 to 100%. Compared with the control group, the Pastel Nagomi art group had a significant improvement in retaining positive affect at week 6. This retention could be further observed at week 12. Moreover, the Zentangle group had a significant increase in positive affect at week 4, with better retention at week 12. In addition, the within-group analyses showed that the Pastel Nagomi art group had significantly decreased negative affect at weeks 6 and week 12; and the Zentangle group had significantly decreased depression at week 8. The qualitative findings suggested that the intervention resulted in the participants enjoying the artwork process, and being proud of their artwork and personal growth.
UNASSIGNED: The study included an imbalance number of online vs. face-to-face sessions, and repeated measures may have affected the results.
UNASSIGNED: The study suggests that both artworks are effective in improving undergraduates\' mental well-being and that it is feasible to conduct future large-scale studies (263 words).

There is a rise in problematic substance use among Canadian youth, which is precipitating a public health crisis. Interventions are needed to empower youth to mitigate substance use risks. Active youth involvement in substance use prevention is urgently needed to increase uptake and ownership of the process and outcome of the intervention. Arts-based interventions are ideal participatory action approaches that can empower young people to be active agents in substance use prevention. These approaches can help promote health, reduce harm, and change behaviours. Scoping reviews are a vital tool that can help the research team identify relevant interventions that can be adapted to a community.
This scoping review explores various arts-based substance use prevention interventions for youth. The scoping review used the iterative stages of Arksey and O\'Malley to search Portal ERIC, Ovid MEDLINE, C.I.N.A.H.L., E.M.B.A.S.E., Web of Science, and A.P.A. PsycInfo and grey literature from Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction and websites suggested by the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health. Inclusion criteria are a) articles utilizing arts-based intervention on substance use prevention; b) studies with a clearly defined intervention; c) intervention targeting the youth (age 12-17) and d) publications written in English. Thematic analysis was used to identify the main themes from the included articles.
Themes identified in a thematic synthesis of these studies included a) the intent of the intervention; b) intervention characteristics; and c) the perceived effectiveness of interventions. Art-based interventions increased knowledge and changed attitudes and practices on substance use among youth. Making the interventions aesthetically appealing and engaging, active youth involvement in the development of the intervention and developing youth-centred interventions which attended to the realities they faced were central to the success of these interventions.

OBJECTIVE: This study was planned to determine the effect of art-based mandala intervention on the distress and anxiety experienced by cancer patients.
METHODS: This semi-experimental study with a single group pretest-posttest design was performed with 12 breast cancer survival patients. The data were collected through \"Patient Diagnostic Form\", \"Distress Thermometer\", \"Trait Anxiety Inventory\". Patients participated in the \"Art-Based Mandala Interventıon\" for eight weeks, one day a week, 2 h each. The distress and anxiety levels of the patients were measured before starting the program and at the end of the program.
RESULTS: Cancer patients experienced moderate level of anxiety (50.66 ± 6.91) and clinically significant distress (4.08 ± 2.74). Anxiety scores of cancer patients decreased significantly after the program compared to before the program (p < 0.05). The distress scores of cancer patients increased after the program compared to before the program (p > 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: After the art-based mandala intervention program, anxiety scores of breast cancer survival patients decreased, and distress scores increased.

Background: Undocumented immigrants and refugees are more likely to suffer from psychosocial disorders.Methodology: In this pilot study, an art-based intervention is described and assessed, with a sample of 11undocumented immigrants who recently came to southern Spain on a small boat. The art-based intervention is assessed using a pre-post design and four questionnaires, which consist of The General Health Questionnaire, Beck\'s Depression Inventory, the Barcelona Immigrant Stress Scale and Carol Ryff\'s Psychological Well Being Scale. Furthermore, five participants were interviewed before and after the intervention and a thematic analysis of the transcriptions was carried out.Results: A significant reduction of depressive symptoms with a large effect size was found. An increase of reflexive discourse and the feeling of belonging after the intervention was also observed. Conclusions: The study suggests that the art-based intervention decreased depressive symptoms and stress, redirecting the narratives of the participants towards the future and increasing the sense of community.

Research on mental health professionals (MHPs) exposed to a shared war reality indicates that they are subject to emotional distress, symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, and vicarious trauma. This article focuses on a CB-ART (cognitive behavioral and art-based) intervention implemented during the 2014 Gaza conflict with 51 MHPs who shared war-related experiences with their clients. The intervention included drawing pictures related to three topics: (1) war-related stressors, (2) coping resources, and (3) integration of the stressful image and the resources drawing. The major aims of the study were (1) to examine whether significant changes occurred in MHP distress levels after the intervention; (2) to explore the narratives of the three drawing and their compositional characteristics; and (3) to determine which of selected formats of the integrated drawing and compositional transformations of the stressful image are associated with greater distress reduction. Results indicate that MHP distress levels significantly decreased after the intervention. This stress-reducing effect was also reflected in differences between the compositional elements of the \'stress drawing\' and the \'integrated drawing,\' which includes elements of resources. Reduced distress accompanied compositional transformations of the stressful image. MHPs can further use the easily implemented intervention described here as a coping tool in other stressful situations.

BACKGROUND: The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) attacked Sinjar, a majority Yezidi region, on 3 August 2014. ISIS fighters systematically and deliberately targeted the Yezidi Kurdish population. Several of the region\'s women and girls were abducted, raped, sold and gifted to other ISIS fighters in Iraq and Syria. Amnesty International claims that the women and girls who survived ISIS captivity, or who succeeded in escaping the attack, suffer from severe psychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety. This paper discusses the effectiveness of a two-month art-based intervention course on the general health status and psychological well- being of Yezidi females.
METHODS: A total of 14 females, ranging in age from 10 to 27, who survived the ISIS captivity/invasion, were invited to participate in a two-month art-based intervention treatment course. Their general health status and socio-psychological well-being were assessed pre- and post-intervention through self-report assessments, the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) and the Flourishing Scale (FS), respectively.
RESULTS: The study showed that overall general health status and socio-psychological well- being improved, substantially, from 18.21 to 3.57 for general health status (P < 0.0001) and from 41.36-51.21 for socio-psychological well-being (P < 0.0001). However, the participants were still unable to completely overcome their life difficulties (P = 0.302).
CONCLUSIONS: Art-based intervention sessions can be effective for improving the psychological well-being of women who develop severe psychiatric disorders following the survival of war- related conflict.