Conversations in Content and Context: Can We Teach AI to Chat About Drawings?

An innovative chatbot incorporates a drawing tool allowing users to draw pictures that symbolise the nature of their chronic pain. Rather than simply ask 'What did you draw?" what if the chatbot could engage the user to provide insight into symbols and images related to pain and suffering? The system was tested on images that included features of clinical interest in a first step toward a chatbot able to 'see' and discuss visual input. Such a chatbot has the potential for retrospective and prospective applications. *Contains childhood sexual abuse references.

[The benefits of socio-aesthetics in psychiatry: three experiments with adolescents]. / Intérêt de la socio-esthétique en psychiatrie : trois expériences menées auprès d'adolescents.

Adolescents and young adults admitted to the Espace unit at Nantes University Hospital are offered beauty treatments. Although their situations are diverse, they consistently show a decline in self-esteem. These young patients benefit from individual hand and facial treatments, make-up sessions and group workshops.

Active Visual Art Therapy and Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Importance: Art therapy has a long-standing tradition in patient treatment. As scientific interest in its use has recently grown, a comprehensive assessment of active visual art therapy is crucial to understanding its potential benefits. Objective: To assess the association of active visual art therapy with health outcomes across patient groups and comparators. Data Sources: The systematic literature search included the Cochrane Library, Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, ERIC, American Psychological Association PsycArticles, American Psychological Association PsycInfo, PSYNDEX, the German Clinical Trials Register, and ClinicalTrials.gov. No filters regarding language were applied. The search covered all dates before March 2021. Data analysis was conducted from April 24 to September 8, 2023. Study Selection: Randomized clinical trials with any type of patient population comparing the intervention with any control not using active visual art therapy were included. Two researchers independently screened the abstracts and full texts. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Data extraction followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, and study quality was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Data were synthesized using narrative summaries, forest plots, and random effects meta-analyses. Main Outcome and Measures: In line with the protocol, all outcome measures of the included studies were extracted. Results: The search identified 3104 records, of which 356 outcomes of 69 studies were included, with a total of approximately 4200 participants, aged 4 to 96 years, in the review. The meta-analyses included 50 studies and 217 outcomes of 2766 participants. Treatment indications included mental, neurological, and other somatic disorders, and prevention. Most outcome measures focused on depression, anxiety, self-esteem, social adjustment, and quality of life. Art therapy was associated with an improvement in 18% of the 217 outcomes compared with the controls (1%), while 81% showed no improvement. The standardized mean difference in the change from baseline of the meta-analyses of 0.38 (95% CI, 0.26-0.51) and posttest analysis of 0.19 (95% CI, 0.12-0.26) also indicated an improvement of outcomes associated with art therapy. Overall study quality was low. Conclusions and Relevance: In this systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials, visual art therapy was associated with therapeutic benefits for some outcomes, although most studies were of low quality. Further good-quality studies are needed to provide additional insights for its best possible integration into routine care.

The effect of mindfulness-based art therapy (MBAT) on the body image of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has increased in the last decade, resulting in enduring psychological effects, including negative body image. This study explored the effect of mindfulness-based art therapy (MBAT) on body image in women with PCOS. METHODS: In a randomized, single-blind, controlled trial conducted in Kerman, Iran, women of reproductive age (18-45) who were diagnosed with PCOS and met specific inclusion criteria were randomly allocated to either the MBAT intervention group or a control group placed on a therapy waiting list. The main focus of the study involved evaluating alterations in body image scores as the primary measure. Additionally, the study assessed secondary outcomes, which encompassed various domains of the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ) before, immediately after, and one month after the intervention. The trial is registered with www.irct.ir (Registration code (25/01/2020): IRCT20170611034452N9). RESULTS: Between August 2020 and January 2021, 66 participants were randomly assigned to the MBAT or waiting list group, and the study was completed by 60 women. At the end of the intervention, body image (adjusted mean difference from baseline (AMD) of 29.22 [95% CI 19.54, 38.90], P < 0.05) and at the one-month follow-up (AMD of 34.77 [95% CI 24.75, 44.80], P < 0.05) were greater in the MBAT group than in the waiting list group. At certain time points, some MBSRQ domains, including body area satisfaction (BASS) (p < 0.05), appearance evaluation (p < 0.05), fitness orientation (p > 0.05), health orientation (p < 0.05), and self-classified weight (p > 0.05), had higher scores than did the control group. However, only BASS had a conclusive effect size (large). Additionally, appearance orientation (p > 0.05), illness orientation (p > 0.05), health evaluation (p < 0.05), fitness evaluation (p > 0.05), and overweight preoccupation (p < 0.05) had lower scores with variable and inconclusive effect sizes. CONCLUSIONS: The MBAT has potential as an effective approach for enhancing body image in women with PCOS. However, some MBSRQ domain results were inconclusive, likely due to the small sample size. Therefore, further research with a larger sample size is recommended.

The Effect of Education and Art Therapy with Telehealth Method on Diet-Fluid Restriction and Anxiety in Hemodialysis Patients During the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of telehealth education and art therapy on diet-fluid restriction and anxiety in hemodialysis patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This randomized controlled study included 60 hemodialysis patients (30 in the intervention group and 30 in the control group). Data were collected using the Patient Information Form, Dialysis Diet and Fluid Non-Adherence Questionnaire, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Modified Morisky Scale. Patients were educated about diet and fluid restriction according to their needs. The forms were applied to the patients at the first interview 6th week, and 12th week. Additionally, training on diet and fluid restriction was given at the first meeting, and an educational booklet was distributed to the patients. Thereafter, the patients were video-called one day a week for 12 weeks and the follow-up evaluation form was applied via telephone. The academician, who works at the University's Faculty of Education, Department of Fine Arts, assisted patients in drawing via video conference. Patients' drawing time is 60 minutes in total, two days a week, 30 minutes each time. Results: Following the education and drawing activity, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, hemodialysis admission weight, creatinine values, frequency and degree of dietary non-compliance, frequency of non-compliance with fluid restriction, and anxiety levels of patients in the intervention group receiving hemodialysis treatment decreased (P < .05) and their compliance with treatment increased. Conclusion: Telehealth applications and art therapy are effective in improving compliance with diet and fluid restriction and controlling anxiety among hemodialysis patients. Since the use of telehealth methods to meet the educational needs of patients and integrative methods such as art therapy ensures the continuity of care services for patients during epidemic periods, it is recommended to be used in COVID-19 and other possible epidemics in the future.

Power of a Few Vagrant Words: Effects of Direct and Indirect Suggestions for Self-Representation in Art-Based Online Interventions.

This study compares two groups of university students with differing instructions participating in an object drawing task as a part of an art therapy-based self-help online intervention. The intervention aimed to help participants enhance positive mood and subjective feeling of self-control and reduce negative mood. The object task contained suggestive elements in the instructions similar to self-hypnosis with an indirect and a direct way of formulation. Quantitative (positive affect and negative affect scale and Self-Assessment Manikin scale) and qualitative methods (text and picture rating) were used to investigate the difference between the outcome effects on the two groups. The results found a significant decrease in negative mood for indirect suggestion, while a significant increase of positive mood for the direct suggestion condition. Based on qualitative analyses, findings indicated that hidden implications in the art-making instructions modified the chosen imaginary and emotional changes related to art-making. Suggestions in the instructions can make a difference in one's mood and this should also be considered while designing guidelines for self-hypnosis.

Unveiling the Potential of ChatGPT and YOLOv7 for Evaluating Children's Emotions Using Their Artistic Expressions.

Recent advancements in large language models (LLMs) have sparked considerable interest in their potential applications across various healthcare domains. One promising prospect is leveraging these generative models to accurately predict children's emotions by combining computer vision and natural language processing techniques. However, understanding children's emotional states based on their artistic expressions is equally crucial. To address this challenge, this paper presents a pipelined architecture comprising YOLOv7 and the powerful GPT-3.5 Turbo language model, where YOLOv7 is employed for object detection using art therapy imaging annotations, while GPT-3.5 interprets the sketches. After rigorously evaluating the proposed framework through a series of comprehensive experiments, we observed that our model achieved high confidence scores for both object detection and emotion interpretation. The robust performance of the proposed framework not only aids in explaining children's art but also provides valuable insights for parents and therapists. This capability enables them to better understand children's emotional states based on their artistic expressions, ultimately facilitating improved support and care.

On the Effectiveness of Visual Arts Therapy for Traumatic Experiences: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Arts therapy is a popular intervention used to work through the effects of traumatic experience. We evaluate previous reviews and report a meta-analysis of the effectiveness of arts therapy following trauma for reducing symptoms of PTSD, enhancing positive outcomes (e.g., quality of life) and decreasing negative outcomes (e.g., depression). Database searches identified 21 (N = 868) randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Outcomes were categorised as PTSD specific, positive non-PTSD specific and negative non-PTSD specific. Several moderators were tested: age, diagnosis type, trauma type, intervention instruction, control type, therapy mode and therapy duration. Overall, random-effects analysis indicated that arts therapy was favoured relative to control for positive non-PTSD-specific outcomes (g = 1.53, p < 0.001), but not for negative non-PTSD-specific (p = 0.069) or PTSD-specific outcomes (g = 0.89, p = 0.052). Regression analyses indicated that arts therapy was effective in reducing PTSD-specific outcomes in children (Z = 2.81, df = 1, p = 0.005), positive non-PTSD-specific outcomes in group-based arts therapy (Z = -2.40, df = 1, p = 0.016, I2 = 57.33) and for reducing negative non-PTSD outcomes following acute traumas (e.g., combat-related trauma or sexual abuse) (Q = 10.70, df = 3, p = 0.013, I2 = 77.09). We highlight the need for additional RCTs and standardised protocols to address heterogeneity. Our review provides an important benchmark for gauging the effectiveness of arts therapy in the treatment of trauma.

Effectiveness of art therapy interventions for treating pain and anxiety in adolescents in the emergency department.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of art therapy in reducing pain and anxiety in adolescents with painful conditions treated in the ED. METHODS: We conducted a prospective pilot study of patients 12-18 years old presenting with a painful condition to a tertiary-care children's hospital ED. Primary outcome was pain intensity measured using the Verbal Numerical Rating Scale (scored 0-10); a decrease of ≥ 20% was clinically significant. Anxiety was measured using the short-form six-item State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (scored 20-80: 20-40 = zero-low anxiety; 41-60 = moderate anxiety; 61-80 = high anxiety); a change from higher to lower category was clinically significant. Outcomes were measured at baseline, immediately after, and 1 h after art therapy completion. A standardized interview was conducted immediately after art therapy completion. RESULTS: We enrolled a convenience sample of 50 patients. Mean duration of art therapy was 34.7 min. Mean baseline pain was 6.2 and decreased by 23.2% (95% CI 14.9-31.5) and 28.6% (95% CI 9.2-48), immediately after and 1 h after art therapy completion, respectively. Mean baseline anxiety was 48 (moderate) and decreased to 38 (low) and 43 (moderate) at the same time points, respectively. Forty-eight patients (96%) reported feelings of relaxation, decreased pain intensity, and/or empowerment (e.g., "Very relaxing"; "I didn't feel as much pain"; "Really showed my emotions"; "A way to explain to doctors what I'm feeling and what parts hurt"). CONCLUSION: Art therapy may be associated with clinically significant decreases and qualitative improvements in pain and anxiety in adolescents with painful conditions being treated in the ED. This novel treatment may improve the holistic care of adolescents with painful conditions in the ED.

ABSTRAIT: OBJECTIF: Évaluer l'efficacité de l'art-thérapie dans la réduction de la douleur et de l'anxiété chez les adolescents atteints de troubles douloureux traités à l'urgence. MéTHODES: Étude pilote prospective de patients âgés de 12 à 18 ans se présentant avec une affection douloureuse à un service d'urgence pour enfants de soins tertiaires. Le critère de jugement principal était l'intensité de la douleur mesurée à l'aide de l'échelle d'évaluation numérique verbale (cote de 0 à 10); une diminution de 20 % était cliniquement significative. L'anxiété a été mesurée à l'aide du questionnaire abrégé à six éléments State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (score 20-80 : 20-40 = zéro-faible anxiété; 41-60 = anxiété modérée; 61-80 = anxiété élevée); un changement de la catégorie supérieure à la catégorie inférieure était cliniquement significatif. Les résultats ont été mesurés au départ, immédiatement après et une heure après la fin de l'art-thérapie. Une entrevue normalisée a été menée immédiatement après la fin de l'art-thérapie. RéSULTATS: Nous avons recruté un échantillon de commodité de 50 patients. La durée moyenne de l'art-thérapie était de 34,7 minutes. La douleur moyenne au départ était de 6,2 et diminuait de 23,2 % (IC à 95 % 14,9-31,5) et de 28,6 % (IC à 95 % 9,2-48), immédiatement après et 1 heure après la fin de l'art-thérapie, respectivement. L'anxiété moyenne au départ était de 48 (modérée) et a diminué à 38 (faible) et 43 (modérée) au même moment, respectivement. Quarante-huit patients (96 %) ont signalé des sentiments de relaxation, une diminution de l'intensité de la douleur et/ou de l'autonomisation (p. ex., « Très relaxant ¼; « Je n'ai pas ressenti autant de douleur ¼; « Vraiment montré mes émotions ¼; « Une façon d'expliquer aux médecins ce que je ressens et ce qui fait mal ¼). CONCLUSIONS: L'art-thérapie peut être associée à des diminutions cliniquement significatives et à des améliorations qualitatives de la douleur et de l'anxiété chez les adolescents atteints de troubles douloureux traités à l'urgence. Ce nouveau traitement peut améliorer les soins holistiques des adolescents souffrant de troubles douloureux aux urgences.

The Alzheimer's patients interaction through digital and arts (AIDA) program: A feasibility study to improve wellbeing in people with Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) presents a growing global challenge, with an increasing prevalence and significant impact on individuals and public health. Effective pharmacological treatments directly impacting the disease are still lacking, highlighting the importance of programs and interventions aimed at improving the wellbeing of those affected. The present feasibility study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of the Alzheimer's patients Interaction through Digital and Arts (AIDA) program. AIDA's main objective is to enhance perceived wellbeing and quality of life of people with AD and their caregivers through a series of structured activities through museum- and art-based activities over five sessions. Pre- and post-program evaluations were conducted using Visual Analog Scales (VASs) to measure various dimensions of perceived wellbeing such as confidence, happiness, interest, optimism, and wellness. Results showed significant improvements in all considered dimensions for people with AD following AIDA activities, highlighting its potential to enhance overall wellbeing. Caregivers also reported increased perceived wellness post-program, demonstrating some positive effects also in healthy participants. The feasibility of AIDA was supported by positive feedback and engagement of participants. Overall, the AIDA program offers a non-intrusive and engaging approach to improve the perceived wellbeing of people with AD and caregivers while facilitating meaningful experiences (e.g., silence, sharing etc.) in cultural settings.

Arthedata: Datenbank für Kunsttherapie

Arthedata is a database of art therapy-specific literature that has been created since March 2008 in cooperation between the University of Art Therapy Nürtingen, the University of Applied Sciences Ottersberg and the University of Witten/Herdecke. The arthedata database contains: Monographs, Catalogs, essays, abstracts and magazine articles.

The Effect of Art on Premenstrual Syndrome Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Study.

Art-based interventions can serve as a complementary and alternative method in managing various illnesses. This study aimed to investigate the impact of art-based interventions on symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). This study was conducted between September and December 2022, involving 72 midwifery students with PMS (37 in the experimental group [EG] and 35 in the control group [CG]). Art-based interventions were applied to the EG weekly for 8 weeks, while the students in the CG continued with their usual coping habits. The data were collected using the Personal Information Form and the Premenstrual Syndrome Scale (PMSS). At the end of 8 weeks, both the EG and the CG were reassessed with the PMSS. The students who participated in the study were similar in terms of sociodemographic, obstetric, and medical characteristics ( P > .05). Analysis of the difference between pre- and posttest measurements revealed that the PMSS scores of the EG significantly decreased ( P = .000), whereas the PMSS scores of the CG did not improve ( P = .000). The findings of the study demonstrate that art-based interventions had a therapeutic effect on PMS symptoms.

Psychobiological responses to choir singing and creative arts activities in children and adolescents with mental disorders: results of a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Children and adolescents living with mental health problems often experience stress and poor mood states, which may influence their quality of life and well-being. Arts interventions may improve mood and well-being and reduce physiological stress in this vulnerable population. METHODS: A cohort of patients in child and adolescent psychiatry (N = 42; age range: 12-18 years) participated in one of four arts activities including choir singing (n = 11), textile design (n = 9), drama (n = 16), and clownery (n = 6). They were led by professional artists and delivered through five consecutive 90-min daily afternoon sessions over the course of 1 week. Questionnaires of mood and saliva samples before and after each session served to assess short-term psychobiological changes. In addition, patients reported their quality of life and well-being at the beginning and at the end of the 1­week program. RESULTS: Results showed that alertness was significantly enhanced after textile design (∆post-pre = 4.08, 95% CI [0.77, 7.39]) and after singing (∆post-pre = 2.20, 95% CI [-0.55, 4.94]). Moreover, mood tended to be positively affected by textile design (∆post-pre = 2.89, 95% CI [-0.39, 6.18]). Quality of life increased significantly after singing (∆post-pre = 5.49, 95% CI [1.05, 9.92]). Arts participation except singing was associated with significant reductions in salivary cortisol (sCort) (textile design ∆post-pre = -0.81 ng/mL, 95% CI [-1.48, -0.14]; drama ∆post-pre = -0.76 ng/mL, 95% CI [-1.28, -0.24]; clownery ∆post-pre = -0.74 ng/mL, 95% CI [-1.47, -0.01]). No significant changes were observed for well-being over the whole program and salivary immunoglobulin A (sIgA) after any of the arts activities. DISCUSSION: These results suggest that arts participation can improve mood state and reduce stress in young people with mental disorders, but there is a need for further studies.

The effectiveness of expressive art therapy on infertile women undergoing surgery: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Infertility produces infertility-related stress in both members of infertile couples, especially for infertile women. Some studies verified the negative relationship between infertility-related stress and outcomes of infertility treatments. Effective mental health care during fertility treatment is urgently needed, but there has been a lack of efficient support services. To reduce the infertility-related stress of infertile women, expressive art therapeutic schemes will be organized and implemented by certified international expressive art therapists. METHODS: This study is a randomized controlled trial. Participants in the intervention group will receive expressive art therapies after the baseline investigation. Expressive art therapies will be led by the certified international expressive art therapist. The interventions include progressive muscle relaxation training, music meditation and drawing therapy. Participants in the control group will receive routine care. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Fertility Problem Inventory (FPI) will be used to investigate the anxiety, depression, and infertility-related stress of all participants at admission and at discharge. DISCUSSION: This study will verify the effectiveness and efficiency of expressive art therapies for infertile women. The results will provide new knowledge on mental health care strategies for infertile women. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR, ChiCTR2300070618. Registered 14 April 2023.

Maintenance effects of short-period intensive creative expressive arts-based program (SPI-CrEAS) on cognitive function older adults with mild cognitive impairment: A pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the maintenance effectiveness of a short-period intensive creative expressive arts-based storytelling (SPI-CrEAS) program in older patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). METHODS: This two-arm, single-blinded, pilot, randomized controlled trial was conducted at XXX and included 38 participants who had previously completed a 24-week CrEAS project. Eligible participants were randomly assigned to receive intensive CrEAS program twice weekly for an additional 12 weeks (short-period intensive [SPI]-CrEAS) or complete their daily activities (control group). Linear mixed-model regression was used to analyze baseline and intra-group and inter-group comparisons at different follow-up periods. RESULTS: At the 12-week follow-up, verbal function (Verbal Fluency Test, P=0.021) improved significantly in the SPI-CrEAS group compared with the control group. The cognitive benefits of SPI-CrEAS were sustained with twice-weekly training for 3 months, lasting for up to 9 months. CONCLUSIONS: The initial cognitive improvement following CrEAS was sustained at follow-up and boosted by SPI-CrEAS.

The impact of arts on prescription on individual health and wellbeing: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Introduction: The evidence-base for the impact of participating in the arts for different aspects of health and wellbeing is growing. Arts on Prescription has gained increasing recognition as a method for fostering connections among individuals and communities, however, to date no systematic review of the impact on individual health and wellbeing has been conducted. This review aims to provide an understanding of individual health and wellbeing outcomes from participation in Arts on Prescription programmes. Methods: Major electronic databases were systematically searched, including Cochrane Library; Web of Science; ProQuest; CINAHL; Arts & Humanities; Ebsocohost; Pubmed; PsycINFO. Other databases were also used: Google Scholar and websites of specific organizations, e.g., NHS Evidence, Kings Fund, Health foundation, Nuffield Trust and NESTA and University of Florida Arts-in Medicine Repository. The review used PRISMA reporting structures. Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) templates were used for qualitative and quantitative studies, and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) for studies with a mixed methods protocol to assess quality and risk of bias. A narrative review of the qualitative data was conducted. For quantitative outcomes, a meta-analysis for studies that met inclusion criteria was conducted, and a narrative review made of secondary and heterogeneous outcomes and approaches. Results: 7,805 records were identified but only 25 records were included as studies with a focus on the impact on individual health and wellbeing. Studies were conducted in Australia, Denmark, Sweden, United Kingdom, and the United States. Programmes were held in community settings, arts venues, GP surgeries, primary healthcare settings, and one school. Most interventions varied from 8 to 10 weeks and included a wide range of different arts activities. Qualitative themes included social benefits, psychological benefits and progression opportunities. The meta-analysis showed a statistically significant improvement in wellbeing, and the narrative review identified promising outcomes that require further evidential support (e.g., reductions in anxiety and depression). Discussion: Arts on Prescription programmes are an appropriate intervention for improving psychosocial wellbeing, providing both social and psychological benefits as well as progression opportunities. We discuss the various qualitative and quantitative outcomes, along with potential 'active ingredients' and barriers to participation (physical, psychological and social). Systematic review registration: PROSPERO, identifier CRD42023408974, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023408974.