Peer-reviewed article
Art-Based Intervention to Promote Psychological Adjustment, Self-Concept, and Quality of Life in Children: Protocol for a Cluster Nonrandomized Controlled Trial.
Henriques S, Pinto R, Oliveira J, Sampaio F ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This is a protocol for a study testing whether weekly art-based sessions can improve mental health and quality of life in children aged 6 to 12 years from disadvantaged neighborhoods. The study will compare 104 children receiving 9 months of weekly art sessions with 52 children on a waiting list, measuring changes in psychological adjustment, self-concept, and health-related quality of life. The research also aims to determine whether the intervention is cost-effective. Results are expected in 2026.
Key points
- About 8% of children aged 10 years or younger experience mental, behavioral, or emotional disorders, but access to mental health services is limited for disadvantaged populations
- The intervention consists of 1-hour weekly visual arts sessions over 9 months led by a professional artist, culminating in community art exhibitions
- Children will be assessed using validated measures: the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for psychological adjustment, the Self-Perception Profile for Children (SPPC) for self-concept, and the Child Health Utility 9D (CHU9D) for health-related quality of life
- Recruitment was completed in July 2025 with 179 participants enrolled, and data analysis is expected to begin in April 2026
- The study will provide evidence on both the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of art-based interventions for public health decision-making
Limitations
This is a protocol document describing a planned study, not results. No outcome data are available yet, so the actual effectiveness of the intervention cannot be assessed from this document. The study uses a nonrandomized design with cluster allocation, which limits causal inference compared to randomized designs.
Abstract
Background Children's mental health is a critical public health priority, with approximately 8% of children aged 10 years or younger experiencing mental, behavioral, or emotional disorders. Despite evidence supporting early intervention, access to mental health services remains limited, particularly for socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. Art-based interventions have emerged as promising approaches to support mental health and socioemotional development. However, significant gaps persist in understanding their efficacy, scalability, and long-term impact. Objective This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a community-based visual arts intervention on children's self-concept, psychological adjustment, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in vulnerable communities. Methods This study is a cluster nonrandomized controlled trial with children from socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods. Children aged 6 to 12 years (n=156; intervention: n=104, 66.7%; waitlist control: n=52, 33.3%) will be recruited through schools and community projects. Allocation to the intervention or waitlist control group will be based on neighborhood or cluster membership. The intervention consists of 1-hour weekly visual arts sessions over 9 months led by a professional artist, culminating in community art exhibitions. Assessments will be conducted at baseline (T1) and postintervention assessment (T2) using validated measures: the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for psychological adjustment, the Self-Perception Profile for Children (SPPC) for self-concept, and the Child Health Utility 9D (CHU9D) for HRQoL, as well as societal resource use and related costs. Quantitative data will be analyzed using regression models and intention-to-treat principles. Results This study was funded in September 2023. Recruitment began in March 2024 and ended in July 2025. As of April 2024, a total of 179 participants had been enrolled. Data collection was completed in July 2025, and analysis is expected to begin in April 2026. Results are anticipated to be published in September 2026. Conclusions This project has the potential to enhance children's self-concept, psychological adjustment, and HRQoL through participation in a community-based visual arts intervention. The study design, with assessments at preintervention and postintervention time points, will provide valuable insights into the trajectories of psychosocial and quality-of-life outcomes in this population. In addition, the combination of psychosocial assessment and economic evaluation will generate important evidence on the cost-effectiveness of art-based interventions, informing both educational and public health decision-making. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07165704; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07165704. International registered report identifier (irrid) DERR1-10.2196/84994.
Findings the Hub has extracted
Each claim below is labelled by its type of design and links back to this report.
- Intervention
- Community-based visual arts intervention consisting of 1-hour weekly sessions over 9 months led by a professional artist, culminating in community art exhibitions
- Population
- Children aged 6 to 12 years from socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods (n=156; intervention n=104, waitlist control n=52)
Key finding
Study protocol published; recruitment completed July 2025 with 179 participants enrolled
S et al. · Europe PMC · 12 Aug 2026