Visual art- and music-based interventions as adjuvants in the treatment of eating disorders: a systematic review and a theoretical model

Aim To assess the effect of visual art- and music-based interventions in the treatment of eating disorders.Methods This study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020161503). Six databases (CINAHL, EMBASE, Lilacs, PsycINFO, PubMed and The Cochrane Library) were consulted. The searches were performed on 19 June 2019, and updated on 18 March 2022. No restriction on language, date, or publication status was applied. Methodological quality was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute's instruments. All steps were performed by two independent reviewers and a third participated in the event of disagreement.Results Eight studies were included. Few statistically significant results were found. Overall, both interventions might help to reduce negative emotional states.Conclusion Visual art- and music-based interventions present limited and inconclusive scientific evidence in patients with eating disorders and therefore their effectiveness is currently unknown. A theoretical model is proposed to guide future research. Further studies are needed to clarify their clinical relevance.