A randomized, controlled trial of mindfulness-based art therapy (MBAT) for women with cancer.
The purpose of this study was to gather data on the efficacy of a newly developed psychosocial group intervention for cancer patients, called mindfulness-based art therapy (MBAT). One hundred and eleven women with a variety of cancer diagnoses were paired by age and randomized to either an eight-week MBAT intervention group or a wait-list control group. Ninety-three participants (84%) completed both the pre- and post-study measurements. As compared to the control group, the MBAT group demonstrated a significant decrease in symptoms of distress (as measured by the Symptoms Checklist-90-Revised) and significant improvements in key aspects of health-related quality of life (as measured by the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form Health Survey). This investigation of MBAT provides initial encouraging data that support a possible future role for the intervention as a psychosocial treatment option for cancer patients.
Monti
Daniel A
DA
Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA. montil@pol.net
Peterson
Caroline
C
Kunkel
Elisabeth J Shakin
EJ
Hauck
Walter W
WW
Pequignot
Edward
E
Rhodes
Lora
L
Brainard
George C
GC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001155:Art Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D015143:Philadelphia; D011788:Quality of Life; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*