Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy and Symptoms in Adults with Multiple Sclerosis: A Pilot Study

Headnote

Adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience multiple symptoms and may benefit from complementary symptom support, such as mindfulness activities. An 8-week mindfulness-based art therapy (MBAT) intervention with adults with MS was conducted, with participants reporting improved symptoms from baseline to 3 months after the MBAT.

Keywords

multiple sclerosis, mindfulness, mindfulness-based art therapy, MBAT, symptom management, self-management, quality of life, education of patients and families, health promotion, advanced practice nurses

Background

Use of mindfulness-based art therapy (MBAT) has shown promise to address symptoms in adults with chronic conditions.

Aim

Evaluate potential impact of MBAT on symptoms among adults with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Method

The MBAT intervention included eight weekly sessions (didactic psychoeducation and creative-art activity) delivered virtually by an art therapist and a medical-surgical nurse to adults with MS in their home setting. The MS-Related Symptom Checklist (MS-RS) was used to measure symptoms.

Results

The MS-RS mean total score at baseline was significantly different 3 months after the MBAT intervention compared to baseline results.

Limitations and Implications

This pilot study included 16 participants with MS, mostly females. More research investigating the full scope of MBAT on a larger and more diverse sample of chronic conditions is recommended.

Conclusion

Results suggest MBAT is a promising intervention that can be delivered by medical-surgical nurses and can help reduce symptom distress among adults with MS in conjunction with standard medications. Integrating MBAT into adult care may serve as a positive-distraction approach to help reduce the severity of commonly experienced symptoms.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common progressive neurologic disease affecting adults worldwide (Walton et al., 2020). The current prevalence estimate of MS among adults in the United States is over 1 million (Wallin et al., 2019). Many adults diagnosed with MS experience a myriad of physical symptoms (e.g., motor, sensory, and fatigue) that often are viewed as complex and have a negative impact on their health and quality of life (QOL) (Genova et al., 2020; Manjaly et al., 2019; Silveira et al., 2021).

MS symptoms are often challenging to manage, with only standard pharmacological treatments being used (e.g., antidepressants, anxiolytics). Because affected persons may experience many unpleasant side effects from pharmacological treatments, a need exists to offer them additional complementary symptom support (Kim et al., 2018). An...