Mindfulness-Art Therapy Intervention in Abused Adolescents

Effectiveness of the Mindfulness and Art Therapy Group Program on Body Self-Concept and Shame in Adolescents With a History of Abuse

Adolescence is an important stage of development when many mental health difficulties first appear. Young people who have experienced abuse are especially vulnerable, as abuse can lead to intense feelings of shame and negatively affect their body self-concept. This study explored whether a group program combining mindfulness and art therapy-called the Mindfulness and Art Therapy Group Program (MATG-P)-could help adolescents with a history of abuse. Mindfulness helps young people become more aware of their thoughts and feelings in a nonjudgmental way, while art therapy allows them to express emotions safely and creatively. Although both approaches have been used separately, their combined effect was not previously studied among vulnerable adolescents. . Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the Mindfulness and Art Therapy Group Program on body self-concept and shame in adolescents with a history of abuse.

After completing the intervention and analyzing the data, it was concluded that adolescents who participated in the program showed significant improvements in how they viewed their bodies and experienced lower levels of shame compared to those who did not receive the intervention. These findings suggest that combining mindfulness and art therapy in a group setting may be an effective way to support adolescents who have experienced abuse. Overall, this study highlights the potential contribution of MATG P as a supportive intervention to improve body self-concept and reduce shame among adolescents with a history of abuse.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Mindfulness; Abuse; Art Therapy
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Mindfulness and Art Therapy Group Program

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 40
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Iran
  • Isfahan, Iran
    • Children and Adolescent Care Center, Isfahan Welfare Organization

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Having a history of abuse
• sufficient physical and cognitive ability to participate in the intervention

Exclusion Criteria:

• Having intellectual disability, developmental delay, visual or sensory motor impairments
• a diagnosed psychiatric disorder recorded in the Child Welfare Organization's files

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: MATG-P; The experimental group received 8 sessions of Mindfulness and Art Therapy Group Program (MATG-P), each lasting 45-60 minutes.	Behavioral: Mindfulness and Art Therapy Group Program; Each session of MATG-P included three components: a meditation practice of 10 to 15 minutes, a reflective art activity of 20 to 30 minutes, and a therapeutic discussion of about 15 minutes. Session's themes followed the original curriculum, beginning with body and breath awareness in the first three weeks. Emotional awareness was emphasized in weeks four and five, where pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral feelings were explored. Week six focused on awareness of awareness of attitudes, while weeks seven and eight were dedicated to values and loving kindness practices. Caregiver-child meetings were designed in the first and last weeks, during which adolescents guided their caregivers in meditation, thereby reinforcing mindfulness and art practices beyond the intervention sessions.
No Intervention: control group; Adolescents allocated to the control group did not receive any intervention during the study period. Adolescents in the control group were placed on a waiting list and, if still residing at the center, were offered the intervention after the study finished. They continued with their routine activities and the services provided by the Welfare Organization, but no structured therapeutic program was delivered to them. To minimize attention effect, the control group engaged in brief, non-therapeutic sessions designed to control for attention without incorporating the specific techniques of MATG P. These sessions consisted of neutral, informational discussions while avoiding any direct engagement in mindfulness-based techniques or art therapy. This design enabled a direct comparison between adolescents who received MATG P and the control g

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Body self-concept	Body self-concept is a central dimension of self-concept, which includes the thoughts, beliefs, emotions, and behaviors associated with the perceived body and is experienced more as a feeling rather than explicit verbal descriptions. It was measured using the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale (PHCSCS). Scores range from 0 to 80. Higher scores indicate a more positive body self-concept.	Baseline: 1 day before the first intervention session Post-test: 1 day after the final intervention session
shame	Shame is a self-conscious emotion characterized by negative evaluations of the self, feelings of worthlessness, inferiority, and self-devaluation. It was measured using the Guilt and Shame Experience Scale (GSES). Scores range from 8 to 32, with higher scores indicating greater experiences of shame.	Baseline: 1 day before the first intervention session Post-test: 1 day after the final intervention session

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Ardakan University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 26, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): September 29, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): September 29, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 20, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 25, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): June 29, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 29, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 25, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Mindfulness; Art Therapy; Abuse; Group Intervention; Shame; Body Self Concept
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavior Therapy; Psychotherapy; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Mindfulness
• Other Study ID Numbers: IR.ARDAKAN.REC.1405.013

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No