title: Art therapy improves coping resources: a randomized, controlled study among women with breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Women with breast cancer suffer from considerable stress related to the diagnosis, surgery, and medical treatment. It is important to develop strategies to strengthen coping resources among these women. Research in art therapy has shown outcomes such as an increase in self-esteem and cohesion, significant improvement in global health, and a decrease in anxiety and depression. The aim of the present article was to describe the effects of an art therapy intervention program on coping resources in women with primary breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this article, we report some of the results from a study including 41 women, aged 37-69 years old, with nonmetastatic primary breast cancer, referred to the Department of Oncology at Umeå University Hospital in Sweden for postoperative radiotherapy. The women represented various socioeconomic backgrounds. They were randomized to a study group (n = 20) with individual art therapy for 1 h/week during postoperative radiotherapy or to a control group (n = 21). The article focuses on changes in coping resources, as measured by the Coping Resources Inventory (CRI) before and 2 and 6 months after the start of radiotherapy. The study protocol was approved by the Umeå University Ethical Committee at the Medical Faculty (archive number 99-386).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was an overall increase in coping resources among women with breast cancer after taking part in the art therapy intervention. Significant differences were seen between the study and control groups in the social domain on the second and third occasions. Significant differences were also observed in the total score on the second occasion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that individual art therapy provided by a trained art therapist in a clinical setting can give beneficial support to women with primary breast cancer undergoing radiotherapy, as it can improve their coping resources.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden. inger.oster@nurs.umu.se
authors.forename: Inger
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Oster
authors.forename: Ann-Christine
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Svensk
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Magnusson
authors.forename: Karin Egberg
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Thyme
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sjõdin
authors.forename: Sture
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aström
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lindh
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001155:Art Therapy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013548:Sweden