Art therapy for pain and anxiety management in hospitalized children and adolescents

Pain and anxiety are among the most common issues addressed with children and adolescents who are admitted as inpatients in hospitals. Anxiety and the accompanying stress it imposes on the body is known to hamper the immune system’s response to healing. As a result, recovery can be impeded and result in extended hospitalizations. The purpose of the research project was to develop a resource that could be used to assist children and adolescents in gaining coping skills for better self-regulation of their anxiety, and thereby reduce their pain and distress.