SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Movement Science
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1542405
This article is part of the Research TopicAt the Borders of Movement, Art, and NeurosciencesView all 10 articles
The Effectiveness of Art Therapy on Motor Function in Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Provisionally accepted
- 1Haikou College of Economics, Haikou, China
- 2Chonbuk national university, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
- 3Zhangjiajie Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhangjiajie, China
- 4Department of International Culture Education, Chodang University, Muan, South Jeolla, Republic of Korea
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Objective: This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of art therapy interventions in improving motor function performance in patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD), with a focus on identifying the most effective modalities.Method: Randomized controlled trials were identified through searches in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. Twenty-six studies were included, assessed for quality, and analyzed following PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD42024611770). Subgroup analyses were performed for primary outcomes (UPDRS, TUG, Mini−BESTest), while secondary outcomes (Stride Length, FOG, 6MWT, and Gait Speed) were evaluated using forest and funnel plots to estimate pooled effects.Results: Art therapy significantly improved motor function, as evidenced by reductions in UPDRS III scores (SMD = −0.44, 95% CI [−0.61, −0.26], P < 0.05), TUG scores (SMD = −0.25, 95% CI [−0.41, −0.10], P < 0.05), and increases in Mini-BESTest scores (SMD = 0.41, 95% CI [0.10, 0.72], P < 0.05). Among the interventions, dance therapy demonstrated the most significant effects on motor function (UPDRS III: SMD = −0.52, 95% CI [−0.78, −0.26], P < 0.05; TUG: SMD = −0.37, 95% CI [−0.58, −0.17], P < 0.05; Mini-BESTest: SMD = 0.56, 95% CI [0.25, 0.87], P < 0.05). Secondary outcomes revealed small to moderate improvements in gait speed (SMD = 0.34, P < 0.05), 6MWT (SMD = 0.41, P < 0.05), FOG (SMD = −0.33, P < 0.05), and stride length (SMD = 0.59, P < 0.05). Although the findings were robust, high heterogeneity in certain outcomes highlights the need for standardized intervention protocols to ensure consistency and reproducibility.Conclusion: This study underscores the clinical significance of art therapy in improving motor functions in PD patients. Among the interventions, dance therapy exhibited the most pronounced effects, highlighting its potential as a pivotal component in multidisciplinary neurorehabilitation programs.
Keywords: Parkinson's disease, Art Therapy, Dance Therapy, Gait, Motor function, Meta-analysis
Received: 09 Dec 2024; Accepted: 11 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Liu, Chen, Liu, Chen, Zhang and Ye. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Zexi Liu, Haikou College of Economics, Haikou, China
Wenliang Ye, Department of International Culture Education, Chodang University, Muan, 534-701, South Jeolla, Republic of Korea
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