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The Effects of Perioperative Painting Art Therapy (LOM® Solution Centered Art Therapy) in Surgical Patients

Not Applicable
Conditions
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Depression, Anxiety
Lower Gastrointestinal Neoplasms Benign
Pancreas Cancer
Interventions
Behavioral: perioperative painting art therapy (LOM® solution centered art therapy) - control
Behavioral: perioperative painting art therapy (LOM® solution centered art therapy)
Registration Number
NCT04524260
Lead Sponsor
University of Zurich
Brief Summary

The investigators want to study whether the use of painting art therapy has an influence on the quality of life, the complication rate and the general outcome of major abdominal surgery. The painting art therapy is carried out according to the protocol of (LOM® Solution Centered Art Therapy) by trained painting art therapists.

Detailed Description

The interest in alternative and complementary medical treatments has increased significantly in recent years and several studies showed a positive effect on the healing process of patients undergoing surgery. Painting art therapy represents another possible form of such a complementary medical treatment. However, the effect in the context of major abdominal surgical interventions has not yet been investigated, which is why the investigators are conducting this study. Selected patients referred to the Department of Visceral and Transplantation Surgery with operable pathologies of the pancreatic and the lower gastrointestinal tract are subjected to perioperative painting art therapy. It is carried out according to the protocol of (LOM® Solution Centered Art Therapy) by trained painting art therapists. The investigators want to evaluate the effectiveness of perioperative painting art therapy by analyzing the results of several questionnaires regarding anxiety and depression levels as well as health related patient data to observe the short/long term outcome and the psychological well-being of patients undergoing major surgery in case of carcinoma. The aim of the study is to assess if painting art therapy, more precisely the LOM®-method, is effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients undergoing surgery. When it appears that the application of perioperative painting art therapy has a major influence on the postoperative outcome in cancer patients, some patients could benefit from a noninvasive, low-risk and easy additional treatment option. This study is a collaboration with the Institute of Complementary and Integrative medicine of the University Hospital Zurich.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
80
Inclusion Criteria
  • Consecutive adult patients of both genders ≥ 18 years subjected to major (oncological) surgery due to pathologies of the pancreatic and lower gastrointestinal tract at our department.
  • The initial diagnosis does not date back longer than 6 months prior the planned surgery. Neoadjuvant radio-/chemotherapy is not an exclusion criteria.
  • Able to speak and understand German or English
  • Signed written informed consent by the participant after extensive oral and written information about the research project and its aims.
  • Thresholds of primary outcome: anxiety levels measured with STAI-form Y-1 (state) and Y-2 (trait). Thresholds: scores between 20 (minimum) and 80 (maximum) in each subscore.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Woman who are pregnant or breast feeding.
  • Known or suspected non-compliance regarding the execution of painting art therapy and/or the proper completion of the needed forms.
  • Drug or alcohol abuse.
  • Regular intake of antidepressant medication with the exception of medication prescribed for chronic insomnia.
  • Acute suicidality.
  • Life expectancy less than 9 months after planned surgery.
  • Inability to follow the procedures of the study, e.g. due to language problems, psychological disorders, dementia, ect. of the participant
  • Participation in another study during the present study and within 6 weeks following the surgery.
  • Previous enrollment into the current study.
  • Enrollment of the investigator, his/her family members, employees and other dependent persons.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Usual Careperioperative painting art therapy (LOM® solution centered art therapy) - controlControl group
Painting art therapyperioperative painting art therapy (LOM® solution centered art therapy)Intervention group
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change of AnxietyChange from Baseline STAI-Score up to 6 months post surgery

State Trait Anxiety Inventory, STAI-forms Y-1/state and Y-2/trait (questionnaire), scores range from 20 to 80, with higher scores correlating with greater anxiety

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change of DepressionChange from Baseline PHQ-9-Score up to 6 months post surgery

PHQ-9 ("Brief Patient Health Questionnaire-9"), scores ranging from 0 to 27, with higher scores correlating with greater depression

Change of Quality of Life - PROMIS 29Change from Baseline PROMIS 29-Scores up to 6 months post surgery

PROMIS 29 ("Profile Physical and Mental Health Summary Scores"-questionnaire), scores ranging from 28 to 150, with higher scores correlating with lower quality of life

Change of Health related quality of life - SF-12Change from Baseline SF-12-Scores up to 6 months post surgery

SF-12 ("short form 12", 12 question survey), results calculated with scoring programme, with higher scores correlating with lower quality of life

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Department of Visceral- and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Zurich

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Zurich, ZH, Switzerland

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