Can art therapy reduce death anxiety and burnout in end-of-life care workers? a quasi-experimental study

Title

Can art therapy reduce death anxiety and burnout in end-of-life care workers? a quasi-experimental study

Creator

Potash J; Hy Ho A; Chan F; Lu Wang Xiao; Cheng C

Publisher

International Journal Of Palliative Nursing

Date

2014

Subject

adolescent; Female; Humans; Male; Young Adult; Terminal Care; Adult; Questionnaires; Middle Aged; Health Personnel; Self Efficacy; Anxiety; Art Therapy; Burnout; Professional

Description

BACKGROUND: The need for empathy and the difficulties of coping with mortality when caring for the dying and the bereaved can cause psychological, emotional, and spiritual strain. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of art-therapy-based supervision in reducing burnout and death anxiety among end-of-life care workers in Hong Kong. METHODS: Through a quasi-experimental design, 69 participants enrolled in a 6-week, 18-hour art-therapy-based supervision group, and another 63 enrolled in a 3-day, 18-hour standard skills-based supervision group (n=132). Pre- and post-intervention assessments were carried out with three outcome measures: the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey, the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, and the Death Attitude Profile-Revised. The data was analysed using paired sample t-tests. RESULTS: Significant reductions in exhaustion and death anxiety and significant increases in emotional awareness were observed for participants in the art-therapy-based supervision group. CONCLUSION: This study provides preliminary evidence that art-therapy-based supervision for end-of-life care workers can reduce burnout by enhancing emotional awareness and regulation, fostering meaning-making, and promoting reflection on death.
2014-05

Rights

Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).

Type

Journal Article

Citation List Month

Backlog

Citation

Potash J; Hy Ho A; Chan F; Lu Wang Xiao; Cheng C, “Can art therapy reduce death anxiety and burnout in end-of-life care workers? a quasi-experimental study,” Pediatric Palliative Care Library, accessed March 29, 2024, https://pedpalascnetlibrary.omeka.net/items/show/14904.