Exploring uses of visual arts-based interventions for mental health of marginalized populations: a scoping review

ABSTRACT

Background

The intentions of this scoping review are to determine current uses of visual arts-based interventions for mental health and trauma support of marginalized populations, and to identify current gaps in knowledge in this emergent field.

Method

Six databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, PsycINFO, JSTOR) were searched for relevant studies. Following the PRISMA guidelines, 38 articles met the inclusion criteria.

Results

Most interventions focused on improving the mental health of participants, or to provide opportunities for participants to process their experiences of mental health. Participants reported increased well-being, experiences of relaxation and/or distraction, and processing of mental health experiences. They perceived arts-based interventions as helpful and developed mutual social support with other participants.

Conclusion

Arts-based interventions have the potential to inform the development of culturally safe and relevant mental health care for marginalized populations beyond current mainstream mental health practices.

KEYWORDS:

• Arts-based interventions
• marginalization
• mental health
• trauma
• scoping review

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. One of these studies that employed quantitative methods resulted in two journal articles (Oster et al., 2006; Svensk et al., 2009).

2. One of these studies that focused on an individual resulted in two journal articles (Oster et al., 2006; Svensk et al., 2009).

3. The Distress Thermometer is a screening tool and measure of psychological or emotional distress typically recommended for routine care among cancer service-users (Chan & Michaels, 2022).

4. The Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Index is an instrument to measure anxiety in adults. Nainis and others (2006) measured how participants described their psychological state at the time of intervention.

5. Used to assess emotional approach coping, described as emotional processing and emotional expression.

6. ESI-R is a measure of spirituality which includes dimensions such as Cognitive Orientation towards Spirituality (COS), Existential Well-Being (EWB), and Religiousness (REL) (Puig et al., 2006).

7. POMS examines six scales of mood scores, each of which can be combined to yield a total mood disturbance score: tension-anxiety, depression-dejection, anger-hostility, vigor-activity, fatigue-inertia, and confusion-bewilderment (Puig et al., 2006).

8. Same project as Oster et al., (2006).

9. The World Health Organization developed the WHOQOL to measure quality of life in research studies. BREF refers to how Svensk and others (2009) used the Swedish version of the WHOQOL.

10. The QLQ-BR23 was developed by the EORTC and designed to assess quality of life in breast cancer patients (Svensk et al., 2009).

11. Same project as Oster et al., (2006).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the David G. Guthrie Fellowship, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University .