Psychosocial Changes Associated With Participation in Art Therapy Interventions for Siblings of Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Patients

Abstract

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is an accepted medical treatment for many serious childhood diseases. HSCT is a demanding procedure that creates both physical and emotional challenges for patients and their family members. Research has demonstrated that siblings of children undergoing HSCT are at risk for developing psychosocial problems such as posttraumatic stress, anxiety, and low self-esteem. This study examined psychosocial changes in siblings (N = 30) of pediatric HSCT recipients. These siblings participated in an art therapy intervention session 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after their siblings’ HSCT procedure. Results showed improvements in sibling psychosocial functioning associated with participation in the art therapy interventions. Compared to a control group (n = 10), the intervention group (n = 20) showed lower levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms at the final session.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the siblings and their parents for their participation, and the study sites for their support. Thank you to Kenneth Weinberg, MD; Amanda Kice, LCSW; Anupama Sood, LCSW; and Katherine Yablonsky, LCSW, for their assistance with the project.

Editor's Note: Jo Wallace, PhD, LMFT, ATR-BC, is an art therapist at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford University and adjunct professor at Notre Dame de Namur University, Belmont, CA. Wendy Packman, JD, PhD, is a Professor of Psychology at Palo Alto University. Lynne C. Huffman, MD, is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Stanford School of Medicine. Biljana Horn, MD, and Morton Cowan, MD, are affiliated with the Allergy, Immunology and Bone Marrow Transplant Division, University of California, San Francisco Benioff Children's Hospital. Michael D. Amylon, MD, is in the Division of Hematology/Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine. Colleen Kahn, MA, ATR, is an art therapist affiliated with Notre Dame de Namur University, Belmont, CA. Matt Cordova, PhD, and Jim Moses, PhD, are on the faculty of Palo Alto University. Correspondence concerning this article may be addressed to the first author at [email protected]