Art therapy for immigrant Korean youth: indications of outcomes, acceptability and satisfaction

ABSTRACT Background Art therapy is useful for immigrant youth to reduce depression, anxiety and stress through visualised images. Aim This study determined indications of psychological outcomes, acceptability and satisfaction of art therapy among Korean immigrant youth. Methods A quasi-experiment (one-group pre-, post-test) design, with 25 young people (13–24 years old) in the Republic of Korea receiving five weekly sessions of art therapy from November 2020 to March 2021. Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 and Perceived Stress Scale were used as psychological measurements to determine the programme's indications of outcomes; acceptability and satisfaction were measured. Results The level of depression severity and perceived stress level was improved and the level of depression severity was maintained at the three-month follow-up as a result of art therapy. According to the acceptance rate, 79.2% found it useful and 78.2% found it enjoyable. Conclusions Art therapy for Korean immigrant youth has the promising result. However, extensive study is necessary to rigorously examine its effectiveness and develop interventions suitable across cultures. Implications for practice This study showed that art therapy could be an acceptable and efficacious therapeutic mental health intervention for immigrant youth who face challenges with verbal communication and undergo acculturative stress. Plain-language summary This study was conducted to examine the outcomes of psychological measurements, and acceptability of, as well as satisfaction with, five sessions of art therapy delivered to 25 Korean immigrant youths (13–24 years old). The study found positive changes perceived by immigrant youths. The levels of depression severity and perceived stress were improved, and the reduced depression severity was maintained at the three-month follow-up. The study also reported art therapy as 79.2% found it useful and 78.2% found it enjoyable, contributing to their psychological stability. Overall, art therapy could be an acceptable and efficacious therapeutic mental health intervention for immigrant youths, who face challenges with verbal communication and experience acculturative stress.