Art therapy and quality of life among children undergoing stem cell transplantation: A pilot study

Abstract Drawing from a multidimensional perspective on health and grounded in the western notion of positive psychology, we explored how art therapy impacted the quality of life (QoL) among children undergoing stem cell transplantation in a Midwestern hospital in America. Participants were three dyads of paediatric patients and parents and two healthcare professionals. All participants were European Americans. Data were collected through interviews, observations and self-report surveys. Quantitative results and qualitative findings indicated a discrepancy between the two types of data collected; the qualitative findings highlighted the importance of art therapy for patients during their hospital stays while the quantitative results from the KINDL-R surveys suggested that the patients' perceptions of QoL did not improve at the post-test administration time-point. Limitations of the study and suggestions for future studies are discussed.