Details of HTA project in progress
Last updated: 31 August 2010 - Next update due: 7 September 2010
Research type: |
Primary Research (e.g. trial) |
Project title: |
Interactive group art therapy as an adjunctive treatment for people with schizophrenia (MATISSE) |
Project ref: |
04/39/04 |
Cost: |
£975,449 |
Chief Investigator : |
Dr Mike Crawford, Reader, Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist, Health Services Research, Imperial College London |
Start Date: |
November 2006 |
Estimated date of publication in HTA journal series: |
Early 2012. This date takes account of time for report preparation and printing based on current average times for these activities. |
Plain English Summary |
Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that causes considerable distress and can damage other aspects of a person's life. People with schizophrenia often find it difficult to express themselves and their social functioning (their ability to look after themselves and get on with others) may also suffer. While medication can help to reduce these problems, many people continue to experience symptoms despite talking regular medication. Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that may be particularly helpful for people who find it difficult to express themselves verbally. It is usually delivered in groups of up to eight people held weekly over a period of several months or years. Recent research has shown that group art therapy may improve the mental health of people with schizophrenia but studies have been too small to be sure whether it really makes a difference compared to other groups that are often used as part of the care that services usually provide. We would therefore like to carry out a larger study in which we examine the mental health, social functioning, and cost-effectiveness of art therapy for people with schizophrenia. We would like to recruit 94 people at four different centres in Britain. They would be allocated to receive either usual care, or usual care plus a place in a weekly activity group, or usual care plus weekly group art therapy. Only those who agreed to take part in the study would be included and those allocated a place in the activity group or usual care would be offered art therapy at the end of the study. We believe this study would help us to make sure that this form of psychotherapy for people with schizophrenia is tested to the same high standards as those used when testing other treatments, and that it would help us learn more about the forms of psychological intervention that help people with this important condition. The researchers involved in the study include academics and clinicians who have a track record of research into art therapy and other complex interventions aimed at helping people who experience mental distress. Service users have been involved in the preparation of this proposal and would play an active contribution to each of the remaining stages of the project through participation in a project advisory group. |
Project Abstract: |
Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that affects up to one in 100 people. While medication can help reduce psychotic symptoms, many people with this condition continue to experience mental distress and reduced social functioning. Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that has been practised for over 60 years. It has been promoted as a means of helping to engage people in psychological treatment who may find it difficult to express themselves verbally. People with schizophrenia may find it hard to manage confusing thoughts and feelings. At such times making a drawing or painting can provide a focus. Sometimes images can be disturbing, as are the emotions which have led to them, so the therapist ensures that there is plenty of time for them to be 'processed' - that is, discussed in the group and the disturbing feelings fully addressed. Despite the widespread use of art therapy for people with schizophrenia little research has been conducted to explore its effects. We will therefore conduct a multi-centre study of group art therapy among people with schizophrenia. Participants will be recruited from mental health services at four sites and randomised to one of three interventions: group art therapy group plus standard care; a place in an activity group plus standard care; or standard care alone. All groups will run weekly for 12 months and participants' health and social functioning will be assessed 12 and 24 months after randomisation. We will therefore be able to investigate the effects of art therapy when added to standard care and compare the effects of group art therapy with those of a control group where participants are encouraged to interact socially but do not receive psychotherapy. |
MeSH* index primary terms: |
ART-THERAPY Q-methods; SCHIZOPHRENIA Q-therapy |
MeSH* index secondary terms: |
HUMANS; RANDOMIZED-CONTROLLED-TRIAL; MULTICENTER-STUDY; CLINICAL-TRIAL |
NRR* number, if applicable: |
N0484189148 (*National Research Register). The National Research Register was a public database of ongoing and recently completed research projects funded by, or of interest to, the United Kingdom's National Health Service (NHS). It is now an archive of projects from early 2000 to September 2007. Search the NRR archive. |
ISRCTN* number: | ISRCTN 46150447 (*International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number) URL of this project on the Controlled Trials Website: http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN46150447 |
Project Protocol: |
Project protocol (pdf format, 195 kbytes) |
URL of this page: |
http://www.hta.ac.uk/1525 |
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