Effectiveness of art therapy for people with eating disorders: A mixed methods systematic review

Eating disorders are common and debilitating mental illnesses that have severe implications for quality of life, and are complex and difficult to treat. The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature relating to the effectiveness of art therapy for people with eating disorders and to synthesise participant experiences and attitudes of art therapy. The Joanna Briggs Institute guideline for conducting mixed methods systematic reviews was followed. A search of grey literature and electronic databases was conducted in April 2020, including CINAHL, PsychINFO, MEDLINE, and EMBASE. Inclusion criteria comprised qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods studies, people of all ages with an eating disorder, community and clinical settings, any sample size, and an art therapy intervention. A convergent segregated approach was adopted during data analysis. Three mixed methods case series studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria. Qualitative findings showed that art therapy promoted self-expression, self-awareness, new perspectives, pride and distraction. Quantitative findings indicated significant improvements in quality of life and mental health outcomes, although findings were limited due to poor study quality. There is insufficient evidence to make a recommendation for practice due to methodological limitations, including small sample sizes and variable study quality. Further studies are warranted to extend the evidence base.