26isfam083 10.3205/26isfam083 urn:nbn:de:0183-26isfam0836 Meeting Abstract Katz Katz Carmen C

SRH University Heidelberg

author Tan Tan Meiling M

Alanus University

author Kobus Kobus Susann S

Universitätsmedizin Essen

author C. Koch C. Koch Sabine S

Alanus University

author Bordbar Bordbar Romina R

SRH University Heidelberg

author Forstreuter Forstreuter Katharina K

Alanus University

author Halatcheva-Trapp Halatcheva-Trapp Maya M

Alanus University

author German Medical Science GMS Publishing House

Düsseldorf

610 20260612 engl This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Dieser Artikel ist ein Open-Access-Artikel und steht unter den Lizenzbedingungen der Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (Namensnennung). M0652 083 International Society for Arts and Medicine The Healing Arts – Forging Alliances of Arts & Medicine Presentation Abstracts Berlin 20260618 20260620 26isfam083 TextBackground: Creative arts therapies (CATs) for trauma treatment is a research area where evidence-based quantitative research is missing.Objective: We conducted two studies to strengthen CATs empirical database for trauma treatment.Methods: Both studies employed a wait-list control design, with four measurement points: baseline (t1), pretest (t2), posttest (t3), 6-week follow-up (t4). Study 1 included N=24 traumatized refugee women from six countries, who had eight session of dance movement therapy (DMT; 1,5 hours each) by two trained therapists with the RHS-15 as the primary outcome (plus DASS21, PCL-S). Study 2 included N=38 survivors of the flood catastrophe in the German Ahrtal 2021, who still suffered from symptoms of trauma, receiving 10 sessions of art-, music- or dance therapy by qualified CATs therapists with PCL-5 and RES-13 as primary outcomes (plus DASS21, HSI-24, CAT-AF etc.).Findings: Results of Study 1 suggest that symptoms of trauma, stress, depression, and anxiety dropped after the intervention (p<.05; medium ES). Study 2 suggests a decrease in PTSD symptoms and stress-levels, and an increase of wellbeing, resilience, self-esteem, and physical QOL (p<.05; medium ES).Conclusions: Both populations experienced a reduction of trauma symptoms after the interventions. For the refugee women stress, depression, and anxiety also decreased; for the flood survivors, resilience, wellbeing and self-esteem additionally increased. CATs can be promising, low-threshold, and cost-effective therapy approaches that may improve mental health by decreasing trauma symptoms and increasing protective factors after trauma. Stricter controlled studies with follow-up data are needed and should additionally focus on mechanisms of change. 0 0 0 0