A randomized, controlled trial of mindfulness‐based art therapy (MBAT) for women with cancer

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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to gather data on the efficacy of a newly developed psychosocial group intervention for cancer patients, called mindfulness‐based art therapy (MBAT). One hundred and eleven women with a variety of cancer diagnoses were paired by age and randomized to either an eight‐week MBAT intervention group or a wait‐list control group. Ninety‐three participants (84%) completed both the pre‐ and post‐study measurements. As compared to the control group, the MBAT group demonstrated a significant decrease in symptoms of distress (as measured by the Symptoms Checklist‐90‐Revised) and significant improvements in key aspects of health‐related quality of life (as measured by the Medical Outcomes Study Short‐Form Health Survey). This investigation of MBAT provides initial encouraging data that support a possible future role for the intervention as a psychosocial treatment option for cancer patients. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.