Intervention and application of drawing therapy in cancer patients: a scoping review

Cancer itself and its treatment process cause a range of physical and psychological discomforts to patients. Drawing therapy, as a form of complementary alternative medicine, has been proven to be effective in alleviating the physical and psychological discomforts of cancer patients, such as chemotherapy-associated nausea and vomiting, and negative emotions such as anxiety and depression.

This scoping review aims to organize and describe the literature on drawing therapy in cancer patients, including implementers, intervention methods, and effects. It strives to provide a reference for future research on this topic.

The methodological framework proposed by Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) was used to guide the scoping review. PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Medline, Cochrane, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and CBM databases were searched from inception until October 31, 2023. Literature screening, information extraction, and cross-checking were conducted independently by two researchers with experience in evidence-based nursing. The inclusion criteria were all peer-reviewed published studies on drawing therapy in cancer patients. The exclusion criteria were studies in which participants were primary caregivers of cancer patients, studies without full text, and articles published in languages other than Chinese or English. Information extraction mainly included basic information about the literature, sample information, intervention methods, and outcome indicators.

3318 literature were initially obtained after searching, of which 30 were finally included. Among them, 19 were in English and 11 were in Chinese. The study identified variations in the implementers and intervention methods of drawing therapy across different countries. Drawing therapy significantly alleviated symptoms caused by the disease and treatment, such as pain, fatigue, and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, while also assisting patients in coping with anxiety and fear. Additionally, drawing therapy bolstered social adaptability and skills. Consequently, drawing therapy improved cancer patients' overall quality of life.

Drawing therapy demonstrates positive effects in cancer patients. Future studies should consider extending the intervention period to obtain more lasting effects and improving the evaluation system to ensure the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the assessment. From a clinical application perspective, interdisciplinary collaboration between nurses and art therapists to implement drawing therapy can promote professionalism and comprehensiveness in the implementation process.