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The Impact of Painting Therapy on Alleviating Anxiety and Enhancing Emotional Expression in Alzheimer’s Patients
- 1 Central Academy of Fine Arts
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Individuals with Alzheimer’s disease often experience heightened anxiety and emotional challenges that significantly affect their quality of life and exacerbate cognitive decline. While traditional medications are essential, they often fall short in addressing anxiety-related mood disturbances. Recently, non-pharmacological interventions, particularly creative expression through painting, have shown promise as supportive therapies. This study explores the potential of painting therapy to reduce anxiety and enhance emotional well-being in Alzheimer’s patients. Over a seven-week period, a structured painting therapy program was conducted with weekly 50-minute sessions to provide a safe space for emotional expression. The findings suggest that painting activities enabled participants to reconnect with memories, express emotions, and improve self-awareness, contributing positively to their emotional resilience and engagement. However, limitations such as the small sample size and reliance on subjective assessments highlight the need for further research with larger samples and quantitative measures. Future studies could compare the effects of various art therapies, such as music or dance, to better understand their potential in dementia care and cognitive preservation.
Keywords
Alzheimer’s disease, painting therapy, anxiety reduction, emotional expression, non-pharmacological intervention
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Cite this article
Lin,J. (2024). The Impact of Painting Therapy on Alleviating Anxiety and Enhancing Emotional Expression in Alzheimer’s Patients. Communications in Humanities Research,62,27-32.
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The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.
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Volume title: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Literature, Language, and Culture Development
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