206. The effect of digital oil painting training intervention on depression, self-efficacy, and aggressive behavior in patients with bipolar disorder

Abstract Background Bipolar disorder is a complex mental illness characterized by alternating high and low moods, often accompanied by severe loss of self-worth and introverted or extroverted aggression during depressive episodes. The current trend of psychotherapy shows that although medication intervention can stabilize emotional baseline, there are still limitations in repairing patients’ social function and psychological resilience. Previous studies have shown that expressive art therapy can provide patients with a safe channel for emotional release. Therefore, based on the concept of art rehabilitation, this study aims to explore the clinical value of digital oil painting as an art form in mental rehabilitation. This study has profound practical significance for improving the adjuvant therapy pathway for bipolar disorder. Methods The study screened a total of 90 patients with bipolar disorder who were in the stage of depression or stable mood. According to the random number table method, they were divided into an experimental group (45 people) and a control group (45 people). The control group maintained standard antipsychotic medication treatment and routine work and entertainment activities. The experimental group conducted a 12 week digital oil painting training intervention based on this. The intervention frequency is twice a week, requiring 90 minutes of training each time. The training content is designed by professional art therapists in collaboration with psychiatrists, including advanced training from simple geometric patterns to complex landscape imagery. The study used multiple clinical scales for double-blind evaluation before and after intervention, including Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17), General Self Efficacy Scale (GSES), and Modified Over Aggression Scale (MOAS). Results The experimental results showed that the HAMD-17 score of the experimental group decreased from 21.45 points before intervention to 11.32 points. The score of the control group was not significantly different from that of the experimental group before intervention, and the score after intervention was as high as 17.85 points, significantly higher than that of the experimental group (p<.05). Structured painting can significantly reduce the burden of depression. At the same time, the GSES score of the experimental group increased from 18.64 points to 28.56 points, and the differences within and between groups were statistically significant (p<.05). The instant sense of achievement of digital oil painting effectively enhances patients’ self-control. In addition, the MOAS aggressive behavior score of the experimental group significantly decreased from 8.42 points to 3.15 points, indicating that art intervention has significant statistical significance (p<.05) in calming patients’ easily provoked emotions and impulsive tendencies. Discussion Digital oil painting training, as a new art intervention model, can significantly improve the depressive mood of patients with bipolar disorder. This method has strong operability and low risk, and is suitable for promotion in psychiatric hospitals and community rehabilitation institutions. Future research directions should focus on using functional magnetic resonance imaging technology to observe changes in the activity of the prefrontal cortex and limbic system in patients after intervention, in order to reveal the deep neural mechanisms of art therapy on mood regulation.