Art Therapy and Art Making for Addressing Cancer-Related Pain and Distress in Adult Populations: A Scoping Review

Methodological shortcomings of the existing research include small sample sizes, lack of standardized intervention protocols, and inconsistent outcome measures, underscoring the need for more rigorous and generalizable studies. Future research should consider neuroimaging evidence linking aesthetic experiences with activation of the brain's "reward network" by utilizing fMRI to study brain activity during art therapy and art making interventions.