New study supported by NIHR ARC OxTV shows music, dance, art and drama therapies substantially reduce PTSD symptoms in children and adolescents – with particular benefits in culturally diverse communities.
Music, dance, art, drama and poetry therapies are effective treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children and adolescents across the globe, according to new research from the University of Oxford.
The study, led by Briana Applewhite, a doctoral researcher supported by NIHR ARC OxTV, is the first to analyse major global studies evaluating how well creative arts therapies work for young people with PTSD symptoms – with a particular focus on non-Western and underrepresented populations.
Drawing on 33 studies involving 4,587 participants from 17 countries across six continents, the research found substantial reductions in PTSD symptoms following creative arts-based interventions.
Why this matters
An estimated 25 per cent of children and adolescents globally experience a traumatic event before reaching adulthood – including physical or sexual violence, natural disasters, conflicts, or bereavement. Current evidence-based treatments show variable outcomes, and conventional talking therapies are not always culturally or practically accessible.
"Our findings show that creative arts therapies are not just complementary to traditional psychotherapies – they are essential tools for culturally diverse contexts," said Briana Applewhite. "They allow children to process trauma in ways that feel natural and accessible within their own cultural environments."
Key findings
The research found that:
- Creative arts therapies had the largest impact in non-Western populations, with effects strongest among children and adolescents in West African and Middle Eastern regions
- Interventions were effective across schools, community programmes and refugee contexts – demonstrating their adaptability and acceptance in settings where Western talking therapies are often limited
- Interventions led by trained local facilitators were as effective as those led by licensed therapists, highlighting their potential in low-resource or humanitarian settings
Implications for practice
Professor Morten Kringelbach, co-author and Director of the Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing at Oxford's Department of Psychiatry, said: "Creative arts therapies give children a language beyond words to make sense of their trauma. They allow for healing through rhythm, movement and shared creative experiences, which can restore emotional regulation and social connection."
Senior author Professor Olivia Spiegler, from Oxford's Department of Sociology, added: "Creative arts therapies can complement established treatments like CBT by providing a non-stigmatising, low-cost and community-driven means of support. They represent an important step toward a more inclusive and culturally sensitive model of global mental health."
The findings suggest these approaches may be particularly valuable for supporting refugee and migrant children, and young people from diverse cultural backgrounds in NHS and community settings.
About the research
The study was supported by NIHR ARC OxTV alongside the NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre, Wellcome and NordForsk. The paper, 'Creative arts-based interventions reduce post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in young people worldwide: a meta-analysis with a focus on non-Western populations', is published in Nature Mental Health.