Effectiveness of art therapy in mental disorders
a critical review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses
Keywords:
Art therapy, Complementary, Complementary Therapies, Mental healthAbstract
Objective: Art therapy is a complementary intervention that promotes symbolic expression and emotional re-signification. The objective is to evaluate its efficacy in the treatment of mental disorders, based on systematic reviews and meta-analyses published between 2021 and 2025 in PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, among other databases. Of the 183 studies found, 08 were included after methodological evaluation using AMSTAR 2. With over 4,500 participants, results showed a reduction in depressive symptoms (SMD = –0.73; p < 0.001), anxiety in children and adolescents (SMD = –1.42; p < 0.002), and a therapeutic effect on post-traumatic stress disorder (SMD = –0.98; p < 0.005). In the management of schizophrenia, reductions were observed in negative symptoms (SMD = 0.70), positive symptoms (0.41), depressive symptoms (0.61), and anxiety symptoms (0.91), all with p < 0.001. It is concluded that art therapy is a promising approach, and its integration into mental health practices and public policies is recommended.
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