Abstract
BACKGROUND: Existing systematic reviews provide evidence that art therapy is an effective intervention for reducing symptoms of depression in children and adolescents. This study aims to systematically review and quantify the impact of art-based interventions on depressive symptoms in this demographic through meta-analysis. METHOD: A systematic search of databases and journals identified eligible studies for inclusion in a meta-analysis examining the efficacy of art therapy interventions on depressive symptom reduction. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted using the Standardized Mean Difference (SMD). RESULTS: The meta-analysis of twelve (randomized) controlled trials revealed a significant effect (SMD = -0.72; 95 % CI [-1.28, -0.16], p = 0.01), indicating that children and adolescents (n = 333) who received art therapy experienced a more significant reduction in depressive symptoms compared to those (n = 344) in the control groups. LIMITATIONS: The existing evidence is limited to studies with low statistical power and methodological quality. Furthermore, the included studies were highly heterogeneous in terms of the intervention type, measurement tools, participant samples, and study designs. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that art-based interventions can be effective in reducing depressive symptoms in children and adolescents. However, future research requires more methodologically rigorous and well-controlled studies to strengthen the evidence base.