ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

  • Meetings
    • ACR Convergence 2024
    • ACR Convergence 2023
    • 2023 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • ACR Convergence 2022
    • ACR Convergence 2021
    • ACR Convergence 2020
    • 2020 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting
    • 2018-2009 Meetings
    • Download Abstracts
  • Keyword Index
  • Advanced Search
  • Your Favorites
    • Favorites
    • Login
    • View and print all favorites
    • Clear all your favorites
  • ACR Meetings

Abstract Number: 154

“Celebrate Ability”: Structured Art Workshop as a Therapeutic Coping Strategy for Patients with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

Anastasia Dropol1, Michael Lang2, Susanne Benseler1, Tommy Gerschman3, Nicole Johnson3, Jewel Loewen4, Nadia Luca1, Alicia Ponzio2, Brian Rusted5, Heinrike Schmeling6, Rebeka Stevenson3, Leeanne Stringer2, Marinka Twilt1 and Paivi Miettunen3, 1Pediatric Rheumatology, University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, AB, Canada, 2University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada, 3Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, AB, Canada, 4Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada, 5Fine Arts, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada, 6University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, AB, Canada

Meeting: 2017 Pediatric Rheumatology Symposium

Keywords: Arthritis and quality of life

  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
Session Information

Date: Thursday, May 18, 2017

Title: Quality, Health Services and Education Research Poster Session

Session Type: Abstract Submissions

Session Time: 5:30PM-7:00PM

Background/Purpose: Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) affects nearly 20,000 Canadian children. Despite success with medications, managing “invisible” symptoms such as pain and fatigue and psychosocial limitations such as restricted participation in extracurricular activities remain challenging. Our objectives were to 1) create a Standardized Art Program to assess potential psychosocial benefits in JIA patients and to 2) engage the local Hospital, University and general community through the workshops.

Methods: A prospective cohort of children with JIA (ages 8-18 years) was referred to the Art and Arthritis Workshop from local pediatric rheumatology clinic. Full day (7 hour) workshops were led by established artists from the local and extended community on various techniques (painting, sculpting, and journaling). The principle behind the workshops was to focus on children’s abilities. A reproducible standardized structure included: a focused theme for a session, demonstration by the leading artist on technique and individual guidance for each participant. Community engagement involved volunteers from the local University’s Faculty of Art, hospital staff and parents/siblings of JIA patients, and a journalist. Pre-workshop psychosocial health was assessed by the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Communication and Worry subsections (PedsQL 3.0 Arthritis Module, a standardized instrument; best score 100, range 0-100). Anonymous participant evaluations were provided at the end of each workshop on workshop quality, location, time, and “favourite part”.

Results: Eight workshops were held from January 2014 to November 2016. Twenty-eight individual participants (7M:21F) (8-12 per session) attended at least one workshop, with 84 participants in total. Mean [median] time from JIA diagnosis to first workshop was 51.4 [48] months (range=0-146 months). The mean pre-project PedsQL subscore for Worry was 82/100 (range 8-100) and for Communication 68/100 (range 0-100). Six parents, 5 siblings, 2 art graduates and several hospital staff volunteered for at least one workshop. The art workshops were featured in local and University newspapers and on Youtube. Post-work shop evaluations were provided by 64/84 participants (76%): 100% (64/64) of participants enjoyed the workshops and 98% (63/64) the location, 92% (58/63) reported time was convenient, and 95% (61/64) indicated intention to attend a future workshop. As “favorite part”, participants responded: ‘seeing my painting come to life’; ‘learning how artistic I can be’; ‘good time for relaxation’; ‘the wonderful freedom of [the artwork]’ and ‘meeting kids my age with arthritis’.

Conclusion: We implemented a structured Art Program for children with JIA that involved artists from the local and extended community and volunteers. While limitations in “communication” and “worry” on PedsQL were identified pre-workshop, art creation allowed the patients to communicate in a non-verbal way and discover new strengths (art skills, engagement with peers). Our results suggest that such a Program can be a useful tool for patients coping with the burden of chronic illness while improving community engagement and disease awareness.


Disclosure: A. Dropol, None; M. Lang, None; S. Benseler, None; T. Gerschman, None; N. Johnson, None; J. Loewen, None; N. Luca, None; A. Ponzio, None; B. Rusted, None; H. Schmeling, None; R. Stevenson, None; L. Stringer, None; M. Twilt, None; P. Miettunen, None.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Dropol A, Lang M, Benseler S, Gerschman T, Johnson N, Loewen J, Luca N, Ponzio A, Rusted B, Schmeling H, Stevenson R, Stringer L, Twilt M, Miettunen P. “Celebrate Ability”: Structured Art Workshop as a Therapeutic Coping Strategy for Patients with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2017; 69 (suppl 4). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/celebrate-ability-structured-art-workshop-as-a-therapeutic-coping-strategy-for-patients-with-juvenile-idiopathic-arthritis/. Accessed .
  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

« Back to 2017 Pediatric Rheumatology Symposium

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/celebrate-ability-structured-art-workshop-as-a-therapeutic-coping-strategy-for-patients-with-juvenile-idiopathic-arthritis/

Advanced Search

Your Favorites

You can save and print a list of your favorite abstracts during your browser session by clicking the “Favorite” button at the bottom of any abstract. View your favorites »

All abstracts accepted to ACR Convergence are under media embargo once the ACR has notified presenters of their abstract’s acceptance. They may be presented at other meetings or published as manuscripts after this time but should not be discussed in non-scholarly venues or outlets. The following embargo policies are strictly enforced by the ACR.

Accepted abstracts are made available to the public online in advance of the meeting and are published in a special online supplement of our scientific journal, Arthritis & Rheumatology. Information contained in those abstracts may not be released until the abstracts appear online. In an exception to the media embargo, academic institutions, private organizations, and companies with products whose value may be influenced by information contained in an abstract may issue a press release to coincide with the availability of an ACR abstract on the ACR website. However, the ACR continues to require that information that goes beyond that contained in the abstract (e.g., discussion of the abstract done as part of editorial news coverage) is under media embargo until 10:00 AM ET on November 14, 2024. Journalists with access to embargoed information cannot release articles or editorial news coverage before this time. Editorial news coverage is considered original articles/videos developed by employed journalists to report facts, commentary, and subject matter expert quotes in a narrative form using a variety of sources (e.g., research, announcements, press releases, events, etc.).

Violation of this policy may result in the abstract being withdrawn from the meeting and other measures deemed appropriate. Authors are responsible for notifying colleagues, institutions, communications firms, and all other stakeholders related to the development or promotion of the abstract about this policy. If you have questions about the ACR abstract embargo policy, please contact ACR abstracts staff at [email protected].

Wiley

  • Online Journal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Permissions Policies
  • Cookie Preferences

© Copyright 2025 American College of Rheumatology