Can art therapy reduce death anxiety and burnout in end-of-life care workers? a quasi-experimental study.

BACKGROUND

The need for empathy and the difficulties of coping with mortality when caring for the dying and the bereaved can cause psychological, emotional, and spiritual strain.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of art-therapy-based supervision in reducing burnout and death anxiety among end-of-life care workers in Hong Kong.

METHODS

Through a quasi-experimental design, 69 participants enrolled in a 6-week, 18-hour art-therapy-based supervision group, and another 63 enrolled in a 3-day, 18-hour standard skills-based supervision group (n=132). Pre- and post-intervention assessments were carried out with three outcome measures: the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey, the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, and the Death Attitude Profile-Revised. The data was analysed using paired sample t-tests.

RESULTS

Significant reductions in exhaustion and death anxiety and significant increases in emotional awareness were observed for participants in the art-therapy-based supervision group.

CONCLUSION

This study provides preliminary evidence that art-therapy-based supervision for end-of-life care workers can reduce burnout by enhancing emotional awareness and regulation, fostering meaning-making, and promoting reflection on death.