SynthesisBMC psychology2025
Colors of the mind: a meta-analysis of creative arts therapy as an approach for post-traumatic stress disorder intervention.
Synthesis in BMC psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- The effectiveness of mandala coloring on the psychological and physiological symptoms in adult hospitalized patients: a meta-analysis.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 2026Pooled it
- Creative Arts Therapy for Anxiety, Depression, and Quality of Life in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Psycho-oncology · 2026Pooled it
- Film education and art therapy for mental health in college students: a systematic review.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Pooled it
- Path With Art: Exploring the Impact of Community Arts Programming on Trauma Recovery.Health promotion practice · 2026Article
- Developing a Protocol-Based Expressive Therapies Continuum Assessment Profile (ETC-AP): Current Achievements and Future Perspectives.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Neuroscience-Informed Creative Group Therapy for Processing Trauma and Developing Resilience During Wartime.Journal of personalized medicine · 2026Review
- Live Opera Performances on Veteran Recovery from Homelessness and Post Traumatic Stress: Post- Discussion Qualitative Analysis.Community mental health journal · 2026Article
- From dissociation to embodied memory through voice: music therapists' perspectives on vocal music therapy with women survivors of sexualized trauma.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
- Healing Beyond Words: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Sandplay and Art Therapies for PTSD Among Syrian Refugee Children in Jordan.International journal of pediatrics · 2026Article
- Creative arts-based interventions for the improvement of PTSD symptoms in young people: a meta-analysis with a focus on non-Western populations.Nature. Mental health · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundIn clinical practice, creative arts therapy is frequently utilized for the treatment of traumatized adults, with reports of favorable outcomes. However, the effectiveness of this intervention in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment has not yet been definitively established through meta-analysis. In this meta-analysis, we aim to assess the effectiveness of creative arts therapy in the management of PTSD.
methodsWe conducted systematic literature searches through electronic databases from the extended inception of each database to November 2023. We utilized the Cochrane risk of bias tool to evaluate the quality of evidence. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) were calculated as the effects of creative art therapy on the improvement of PTSD.
resultsSeven controlled, comparative studies investigated the use of creative arts therapy in treating adults with PTSD. Meta-analysis demonstrated a significant decrease in PTSD symptoms following creative arts therapy (SMD = -1.98, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): -3.8 to -0.16, p < 0.03, I2 = 98%). Subgroup analysis indicates that drama therapy was notably effective, while music, art, and dance/movement therapies exhibited less pronounced effects.
conclusionDespite the limitations, including a limited number of studies, participant size, study heterogeneity, and methodological quality, these results provide valuable understanding regarding the efficacy of creative arts therapies in treating PTSD and highlight the urgent need for additional research in this area.
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