Abstract
Background
Pregnant women in China face various emotional difficulties during pregnancy but lack adequate mental health support. This study aimed to design and evaluate a group-based integrative expressive art therapy intervention for addressing emotional and psychological concerns in this population.
Methods
A quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-intervention assessments were delivered from July to December 2025. We developed a five-session expressive art therapy intervention employing multiple art modalities, including painting, doodling, hand-making, OH cards, music as well as storytelling. In the secondary analyses, we selected a control group (N = 14) to compare participants’ perceptions of art therapy and willingness-to-pay against those in the intervention group (N = 14).
Results
After the intervention, significant reductions in both state and trait anxiety were observed (p
Conclusions
This pilot study demonstrates the feasibility and effects of a group-based integrative expressive art therapy for pregnant women in China. The findings support the application of expressive art therapy as a mental health service and provide implications for the development of related health policies.