Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40662406›Full record

ArticlePerspectives in public health2025

A scoping review on arts-based interventions for the mental health of refugee and asylum-seeking children and youth.

N Yang, Y Gong

Abstract readScoping Review
In one paragraph

Article in Perspectives in public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

N YangArts and Sciences, UCL, Gower Street, London, UK.ORCID 0009-0009-6152-2121
Y GongArts and Sciences, UCL, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsThe rising number of displaced children and youth underscores the urgent need for appropriate mental health support. Arts-based interventions (ABI) offer a promising approach to addressing this need. This scoping review aims to map key themes on the effects of the different types of ABI on the mental health of refugee and asylum-seeking children and youth (RASCY), identifying gaps and recommendations for future intervention and mental health policy.

methodLiterature was searched across Web of Science, PubMed, ERIC, and Scopus (till March 2024) in the English language. A narrative analysis identified themes and mapped the intervention types to the themes.

resultsFour main themes emerged from the eight included studies, indicating that ABI positively impacts RASCY's emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing and behaviour, consistent with the WHO definition of mental health, with an additional outcome: behavioural change. Findings highlight the need for mixed-methods approaches and stand-alone dance, drama and poetry interventions. Future interventions should commit to longer interventions (⩾ 10 weeks), integrate ABI into schools and community settings, and provide training on ABI for both educational and health professionals.

conclusionsThere is strong evidence that ABI can effectively improve RASCY's mental health and prevent mental health difficulties by changing behaviour and promoting mental wellbeing. ABI can help these vulnerable populations thrive and contribute to healthier, more inclusive societies. The integration of ABI within mental health intervention and prevention strategies should be promoted and implemented, particularly for RASCY.

Indexed as

Art TherapyMental HealthRefugeesAdolescentChildHumansMental Disordersarts-based interventionsmental health and wellbeingrefugee and asylum-seeking children and youthscoping review

Identifiers

PMID40662406
PMCPMC12322339

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.