Art Therapy + Yoga for Youth Mental Health

(SPARK Trial)

Recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By Ujala Janjua

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Wayne State University

Disqualifiers: Bipolar, Psychotic, Autism, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 24

250 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications. It seems focused on art therapy and yoga, so it's likely you can continue your current medications, but you should confirm with the trial organizers.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Art Therapy + Yoga for Youth Mental Health?

Research shows that yoga, as part of mind-body practices, can help improve mental health in youth by reducing distress and enhancing emotional regulation. Studies suggest that yoga can be a promising complementary therapy for children and adolescents, although more research is needed to confirm these benefits. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is art therapy safe for children and adolescents?

Art therapy is generally considered safe for children and adolescents, with studies showing it can help those who have experienced trauma or have PTSD symptoms. However, more research is needed to confirm its safety and effectiveness across different settings and conditions. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

How is the Art Therapy + Yoga treatment unique for youth mental health?

Art Therapy + Yoga is unique because it combines creative arts and movement to enhance self-regulation and stress-relaxation skills, which are protective against stress. This approach is particularly accessible and cost-effective, making it feasible for community settings and beneficial for both stressed and non-stressed youth. ^{6 8 10 11 12}

What is the purpose of this trial?

This proposal will implement and test feasibility and efficacy of school-based art therapy and yoga/mindfulness programming to reduce mental health disparities and foster resilience in youth. We will conduct a cross-over randomized trial with n=250 youth (any race/ethnicity or gender, ages 11-14) from two schools: one serving majority Black/African American students and one serving a population-representative ethnoracial demographic with 50% economically disadvantaged students. Baseline data collection will assess experiences of discrimination, negative experiences, positive experiences, and severity of posttraumatic stress, anxiety, depression, somatic symptoms, and resilience. Youth will be randomly assigned to art therapy or yoga/mindfulness for a quarter. Hour-long weekly sessions will occur during elective course times within school to bolster accessibility and generate data to inform future school-based care models for sustainability. Target schools co-developed this design with the research team. At the end of the quarter, participants will engage in post-intervention data collection, including qualitative interviews regarding their experience with the school-based programming. Participants will then cross over to the yoga/mindfulness or art therapy for the subsequent quarter, such that all participants receive both modalities. The methods described above will be repeated, including the assessments. Academic performance will be assessed throughout. We hypothesize that both modalities will be effective in reducing stress, anxiety, and depression related to discrimination, adversity, and trauma that disproportionately impacts racially and ethnically minoritized youth. We anticipate that qualitative feedback will identify points of optimization for programming and inform which students may be most responsive to what intervention(s).

Research Team

Lana R Grasser, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

Wayne State University

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for youth aged 11-14 from two schools, one with a majority of Black/African American students and another with diverse demographics including economically disadvantaged students. Participants should have experienced discrimination, adversity, or trauma.

Inclusion Criteria

I am between 11 and 14 years old.

My gender identity does not affect my eligibility.

I speak English.

Exclusion Criteria

I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Current or past psychotic disorder

Autism spectrum disorders or any other severe developmental disorder

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Baseline Data Collection

Baseline data collection will assess experiences of discrimination, negative experiences, positive experiences, and severity of posttraumatic stress, anxiety, depression, somatic symptoms, and resilience.

1 week

First Intervention Phase

Participants engage in either art therapy or yoga/mindfulness for a quarter. Hour-long weekly sessions occur during elective course times within school.

12 weeks

12 visits (in-person)

Crossover Intervention Phase

Participants cross over to the other intervention (art therapy or yoga/mindfulness) for the subsequent quarter. The methods described above will be repeated, including the assessments.

12 weeks

12 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment, including qualitative interviews regarding their experience with the school-based programming.

12 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Art Therapy
• Yoga/Mindfulness

Trial Overview The study tests art therapy and yoga/mindfulness to improve mental health in school kids. It's a cross-over randomized trial where participants try both therapies during school hours over different quarters to see which helps more with stress and resilience.

Participant Groups

Group I: Yoga/Mindfulness, Art Therapy Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

In this arm, participants will first engage in yoga/mindfulness, then art therapy interventions.

Group II: Art Therapy, Yoga/Mindfulness Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

In this arm, participants will first engage in art therapy, then yoga/mindfulness interventions.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Wayne State University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

318

Recruited

111,000+

Chandler Park Academy

Collaborator

Jefferson Middle School

Collaborator

Lakeview Public Schools

Collaborator

References

1. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of yoga on patients in an adolescent mental health hospital and the relationship between those effects and the patients' sensory-processing patterns. [2014]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Strong Mind, Strong Body: The Promise of Mind-Body Interventions to Address Growing Mental Health Needs Among Youth. [2023]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Yoga as a complementary therapy for children and adolescents: a guide for clinicians. [2022]

4. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Piloting yoga and assessing outcomes in a residential behavioural health unit. [2019]

5. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effects of yoga on mental health in school-aged children: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis of Randomised Control Trials. [2023]

6. Ireland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Review: systematic review of effectiveness of art psychotherapy in children with mental health disorders. [2022]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness of art therapy with pediatric populations affected by medical health conditions: a systematic review. [2020]

8. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluating the use of responsive art therapy in an inpatient child and adolescent mental health services unit. [2022]

9. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Need for Robust Critique of Arts and Health Research: Young People, Art Therapy and Mental Health. [2023]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluating Art Therapy to Heal the Effects of Trauma Among Refugee Youth: The Burma Art Therapy Program Evaluation. [2022]

11. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Virtual Arts and Movement Therapies for Youth in the Era of COVID-19. [2021]

12. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Creating a difference - a role for the arts in addressing child wellbeing in conflict-affected areas. [2023]