Creative arts therapy found to ease anxiety in Parkinson’s in pilot study
Approach boosts patient well-being, may lessen need for healthcare services
Creative arts therapy, or an expressive therapeutic approach that engages people in various creative activities, can reduce anxiety in individuals with Parkinson’s disease and improve their well-being — while potentially lessening their need for healthcare services — according to the results of a small pilot study conducted in Europe.
Following 10 weeks, or about 2.5 months, of such therapies, the researchers reported “a significant reduction in anxiety and an increase in well-being” among participants.
“These findings cautiously suggest that our … multimedia creative arts therapy [approach] has the potential to increase well-being and reduce anxiety, while reducing healthcare consumption,” the researchers wrote. Patients taking part in the weekly therapy sessions had “fewer visits [with] neurologists, specialized [Parkinson’s] nurses, and allied healthcare professionals,” the team reported.
The researchers stressed that further study in larger groups of patients is needed to test this approach.
The study, “Unleashing creativity in people with Parkinson’s disease: a pilot study of a co-designed creative arts therapy,” was published in the Journal of Neurology.
Creative arts therapy program developed with patient input
Parkinson’s disease is caused by the gradual deterioration and loss of dopaminergic neurons — nerve cells responsible for producing dopamine, a neurotransmitter essential for regulating voluntary movement.
In addition to its characteristic motor symptoms, such as resting tremors, muscle stiffness, slowed movements, and walking difficulties, Parkinson’s can lead to nonmotor symptoms that significantly impact a patient’s quality of life. These may include cognitive decline, sleep disturbances, depression, and anxiety.
Available treatments can help with many motor symptoms of Parkinson’s, but they may not fully address nonmotor symptoms. As such, there has been increased interest expressed by healthcare professionals for more multidisciplinary and holistic approaches — with a focus on nonpharmacological interventions, such as creative arts therapy — to supplement traditional treatment methods.
“Conventional medical management, while essential, cannot address all multifaceted consequences of Parkinson’s disease,” the researchers wrote.
Studies have shown that creative arts therapy, particularly in the visual arts and music, may improve emotional well-being, mood, social interaction, and overall quality of life for individuals with Parkinsons, as well as aiding motor function and speech.
Now, a team from the University of Vienna in Austria and Radboud University Medical Centre in the Netherlands worked with patients, creative arts therapists, and researchers from different disciplines to develop such a program for people with Parkinson’s.
“Through this participatory approach, we aimed to bridge medical and arts-based practices, ensuring that our intervention is both practical and meaningful for individuals with [Parkinson’s disease],” the researchers wrote.
Involving those living with the disease was key, according to the team. “By providing [patients] with a sense of ownership in designing and establishing [Parkinson’s] care, we also hope to increase the chances of this therapy being effective,” the researchers wrote.
An exploratory pilot study was conducted to assess the impact of creative arts therapy on patients’ health-related quality of life, well-being, and nonmotor symptoms. A total of eight Parkinson’s patients, with a mean age of 54, completed the therapist-guided program. Each weekly session lasted 90 minutes to two hours and offered a diverse range of artistic activities, such as visual arts, drama, movement and dance, creative writing, and music. Additional crafts included sewing, cooking, clay work, and wood construction.
Approach led to clinically relevant decreases in patient anxiety
To evaluate the therapy’s impact, patients completed self-reported questionnaires before and after the intervention.
Overall, participants had a significant easing of anxiety, indicated by a mean 1.88 points reduction in the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, which is considered clinically relevant.
Well-being among the participants also showed a significant improvement, as measured by the ICEpop Capability Measure for Adults.
During the intervention, there were fewer healthcare visits by patients, with a total reduction of 30 such appointments, per the researchers. The biggest decrease occurred in appointments with neurologists and specialized Parkinson’s nurses, which dropped from 16 to 10 visits.
These preliminary findings support the need for a larger, randomized controlled trial to explore the therapeutic potential of creative arts therapy in [Parkinson’s] care.
The limitations of the exploratory study included the lack of a control group and the small number of patients involved, the researchers noted.
But overall, according to the team, the results suggest that a tailored program of multimedia creative arts therapy may improve well-being and ease anxiety in Parkinson’s patients, and potentially reduce the use of healthcare services.
“These preliminary findings support the need for a larger, randomized controlled trial to explore the therapeutic potential of creative arts therapy in [Parkinson’s] care,” the team concluded.
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