Study of the Impact of Art Therapy in Palliative Care on the Relationship Between Patients and Their Families (ATREL)

Negative symptoms in cancer in palliative care, such as pain, can lead to a withdrawal that can lead to a form of social exclusion. Maintaining pre-illness relationships is often difficult for the patient, especially since he is often not available to relationships.

Art therapy defined as the exploitation of artistic potential in a therapeutic and humanitarian aim can contribute to the reduction of symptoms, to adaptation and to well-being. A recent review shows that positive affective states and meaningful social connections are important factors contributing to more effective adaptation to pain. Study hypothesis is that art therapy could play on these two factors.

The objective of the qualitative study is to measure, using a questionnaire, the indirect impact of art therapy sessions on parents, during support and after death, from a relational and emotional point of view.