Calligraphy Therapy Interventions for Managing Depression in Cancer Patients: A Scoping Study

Abstract

For the last three decades, scientists have conducted research for medical therapy interventions of Chinese calligraphy handwriting (CCH). Clinical research has found CCH has positive effects on behavioral and psychosomatic disorders: Depressive symptoms in cancer patients, psychiatric and cognitive disorders in elderly people, stress reduction, hyperarousal symptoms after earthquake, changes in theta waves and other diseases such as hypertension and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity. Depression and anxiety are common among people diagnosed with cancer. CCH as a medical intervention was tested in Nasopharyngeal cancer patients (stage II and III). CCH improved certain stress symptoms and mood disturbances. All studies showed a notable paucity for CCH intervention in medical therapy. However, to apply CCH for improving depressive symptoms in cancer patients and to strengthen the evidence, further research is required.