A Pilot Outcome Study of Art Therapy and Music Therapy With Hospitalized Children (Étude pilote des résultats de l'art-thérapie et de la musicothérapie auprès d'enfants hospitalisés)

Abstract

This article presents the preliminary results of an outcome study comparing the effectiveness of art therapy and music therapy in a large pediatric medical facility. Measures of pain and mood were taken before and after sessions over two and a half years and across six therapists. The findings suggest that mood improved more effectively after art therapy than after music therapy. Although no significant difference was found in pain measured between modalities, the data indicate that music therapy might be more easily tolerated when patients are experiencing moderate or high levels of pain, as considerably fewer art therapy sessions were completed with patients reporting severe pain. A case illustration and the discussion of findings suggest possible clinical applications for maximizing the impact of expressive treatments in medical settings.