According to a study published today on bmj.com, referring individuals with schizophrenia to group art therapy does not enhance their social functioning or mental health.

The results pose a challenge for national treatment guidelines, given that doctors are recommended to consider all individuals with schizophrenia for arts therapies.

As many as 1 in 100 individuals will be affected by schizophrenia – a complex mental disorder – at some period in their lives. Although symptoms of schizophrenia can be reduce with antipsychotic drugs, several individuals still experience poor mental health and social functioning.

Even though national treatment guidelines recommended art therapy as an additional treatment for people with schizophrenia, very few investigations have studied its clinical effects.

Therefore, a team of investigators in the UK, decided to conduct a study examining the impact of group art therapy for people with the disorder compared with an active control treatment and standard care alone.

The researchers enrolled 417 individuals aged 18+ with a diagnosis of schizophrenia to participate in the study. The team then assigned participants to one of three groups:

  • The first group received 12 months of weekly group art therapy in addition to standard care.
  • The second group received 12 months of weekly activity groups in addition to standard care.
  • The third group received standard care alone.

Participants in the art therapy group were encouraged to express themselves freely using a variety of art materials. Participants in the activity group were encouraged to participate in activities, such as visiting local cafes, playing board games, and watching and discussing DVDs, and they were prohibited from using art materials.

Outcome measures of the study included satisfaction with care, mental health symptoms, global functioning (ability to conduct normal daily activities), and social functioning. The researchers found that attendance levels among participants in the therapy and activity groups were low.

In addition, the team found no differences in mental health symptoms and global functioning between the three groups, as well as no differences in satisfaction with care and social function between participants receiving standard care and those in the art therapy group.

The researchers conclude:

“While we cannot rule out the possibility that group art therapy benefits a minority of people who are highly motivated to use this treatment, we did not find evidence that it leads to improved patient outcomes when offered to most people with schizophrenia.”

According to the researchers, results of studies of other creative therapies, such as music therapy and body movement therapy, for individuals with the disorder are more promising. They note that it may be only when these types of activities are combined with other interventions that benefits are observed.

In an associated report, Tim Kendall, Director at the National Collaborating Center for Mental Health, states that art therapy is not likely to be of clinical benefit for people with schizophrenia, although it still holds great potential for success in treating negative symptoms.

Written by Grace Rattue