[The impact of an art therapy programme for cancer patients--an analysis from different points of view].

BACKGROUND: Art therapy is used in the whole field of psycho-oncological maintenance to support coping mechanisms with creative techniques. Previous studies stated effects of art therapy just by referring to the participants' ratings. This study wants to extend the perspective by including the views of all involved parties--participating patients, dropouts, art therapist and supervisor.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: We developed and tested an art therapy programme for cancer patients. The participants' and dropouts' ratings were documented by using a questionnaire with open and closed questions upon completion of the intervention. The art therapist and the supervisor described their personal point of view.

RESULTS: 74 patients took part in the intervention whereof 18 dropped out. Of these, 8 could be interviewed regarding the reasons for not participating further in the study. The dropouts evaluated the intervention positively(4/8) or could not make a final statement (3/8). 55 questionnaires were available from the 56 participants. They described the importance of the programme in several ways. Most of all, they reported of: stimulation of imagination (50/55), emotional stabilisation(48/55), enlargement of means of expression (45/55) and contact with other patients (42/55). The dropouts named several reasons for their decision to cancel: too intense focus on the disease(N = 3), modern drawing (N = 1), too much talks (N = 1) and too much sketching (N = 1) were some points of criticism. The art therapist as well as the supervisor emphasized activation as a main outcome for the participants.

CONCLUSIONS: Positive effects of the intervention programme highlight the importance of establishing an art therapy in ambulant care. It enlarges the range of psychosocial maintenance and enables oncological patients to cope with the disease and its consequences with artistic means.