JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The rapid integration of digital technologies into art therapy reflects both technological advancements and the growing global need for mental health care.

Objective:

This scoping review aims to systematically map and synthesize empirical research in English on technology-integrated art therapy published from 2016 to March 2026.

Methods:

A comprehensive search across nine databases yielded 283 records, of which 32 empirical studies met the inclusion criteria according to PRISMA-ScR guidelines.

Results:

The included studies are methodologically heterogeneous, comprising qualitative (37.5%), quantitative (37.5%), and mixed-methods (25%) designs, and are largely characterized by small samples and feasibility-oriented approaches. The quantitative findings vary in rigor, with only three randomized controlled trials and several non-controlled or quasi-experimental designs. Across these studies, the reported outcomes include improvements in cognitive functioning, emotional regulation, mental health, and behavioral symptoms. The qualitative and mixed-methods findings consistently highlighted process-oriented contributions. These include increased engagement, reduced performance-related anxiety, and greater agency in the creative process. Digital affordances such as editing, layering, and multimodal creation were reported to be associated with iterative meaning-making, expanded modes of expression, and enhanced treatment effectiveness. In immersive contexts, particularly virtual reality (VR), participants described altered sensory and embodied experiences. At the relational level, there were reported shifts in the therapist’s role, suggestive of a reconfiguration of clinical positioning toward a more facilitative, adaptive, and responsive stance, as well as changes in the therapeutic setting and in the nature of therapist/client presence in digitally mediated interactions.

Conclusions:

Overall, the field seems to be in a transitional phase. While these initial findings indicate that new technologies can improve engagement, accessibility, and creative expression, the evidence is mixed. From an integrated perspective, digital technologies might offer unique therapeutic opportunities by influencing access, engagement, aesthetic distance, and sensory-embodied experiences. Yet, these possibilities are mostly theoretical and insufficiently researched. Clinical Trial: NA