The Efficacy of Art Therapy in Pediatric Oncology Patients: An Integrative Literature Review.

PROBLEM: Children undergoing cancer treatment experience detrimental adverse side effects that may be addressed with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) such as art therapy. The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of art therapy in pediatric patients living with cancer.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: An integrative literature review was conducted using the CINAHL, OVID Medline, and PsycINFO databases. Studies were included if they were a primary source utilizing an art therapy intervention in children with cancer age birth to 18years old, was published between the year 2000 and 2016, and written in the English language.

SAMPLE: Seven primary sources met inclusion criteria.

RESULTS: Few studies were reported in this review. Findings of this review suggest that children who participated in various forms of drawing interventions exhibited enhanced communication with family members and healthcare providers. Additionally, children were able to better express underlying emotions, developed more effective coping skills, and experienced a reduction in adverse side effects.

CONCLUSIONS: Implementing a drawing intervention or other forms of art into the holistic care of a pediatric oncology patient may assist in maximizing quality of life and allow for a more tolerable lifestyle.

IMPLICATIONS: Acquiring a means of proper communication with children through art allows nurses to gain insight on the needs of this special patient population, resulting in a higher quality plan of care.