{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,21]],"date-time":"2026-08-21T13:32:11Z","timestamp":1787319131672,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"15","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,27]],"date-time":"2025-07-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1753574400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Art therapy is increasingly recognized as a valuable complementary intervention for individuals with eating disorders (EDs), who frequently experience comorbid anxiety and difficulties with emotional regulation. However, few studies have examined its short-term effects on state and trait anxiety within structured clinical settings. Methods: This pilot study involved 19 adolescent females (mean age 17.7 \u00b1 2.1 years) diagnosed with anorexia nervosa (AN) or bulimia nervosa (BN) and admitted to the Mariconda Regional Residence for Eating Disorders (ASL Salerno, Italy) in residential or semi-residential treatment. Participants completed a structured six-week cycle of weekly textile-based art therapy sessions, designed to promote emotional expression and body reconnection. State and trait anxiety levels were assessed pre- and post-session using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Repeated-measures ANOVA was used to analyze state anxiety changes; a linear mixed-effects model was applied to trait anxiety. Results: State anxiety significantly decreased immediately after sessions (p = 0.002). A significant main effect of session (p = 0.01) and a time \u00d7 session interaction (p = 0.025) indicated variability across sessions. Trait anxiety showed a non-significant trend toward reduction (p = 0.11); however, reductions were significant at sessions 4 (p = 0.015), 5 (p &lt; 0.001), and 6 (p = 0.005). Conclusions: Art therapy may offer immediate reductions in state anxiety and may contribute to a longer-term reduction in trait anxiety with 4\u20136 sessions. These findings support integrating creative interventions within multidisciplinary ED treatment programs. Future research with larger samples and control groups is needed to confirm and expand upon these preliminary results.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm14155298","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,28]],"date-time":"2025-07-28T09:53:02Z","timestamp":1753696382000},"page":"5298","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Reducing State and Trait Anxiety Through Art Therapy in Adolescents with Eating Disorders: Results from a Pilot Repeated-Measures Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1854-292X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Francesco","family":"Monaco","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mental Health, ASL Salerno, 84121 Salerno, Italy"},{"name":"European Biomedical Research Institute of Salerno (EBRIS), 84125 Salerno, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-8301-3401","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Annarita","family":"Vignapiano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mental Health, ASL Salerno, 84121 Salerno, Italy"},{"name":"European Biomedical Research Institute of Salerno (EBRIS), 84125 Salerno, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-7373-2665","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Stefania","family":"Landi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mental Health, ASL Salerno, 84121 Salerno, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ernesta","family":"Panarello","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mental Health, ASL Salerno, 84121 Salerno, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Benedetta","family":"Di Gruttola","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mental Health, ASL Salerno, 84121 Salerno, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Naomi","family":"Gammella","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mental Health, ASL Salerno, 84121 Salerno, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Silvia","family":"Adiutori","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Accademia di Belle Arti, 610074 Roma, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eleonora","family":"Acierno","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Accademia di Belle Arti, 610074 Roma, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-2333-0637","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Valeria","family":"Di Stefano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Psychiatric Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ilaria","family":"Pullano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Psychiatric Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Giulio","family":"Corrivetti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mental Health, ASL Salerno, 84121 Salerno, Italy"},{"name":"European Biomedical Research Institute of Salerno (EBRIS), 84125 Salerno, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7077-3506","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Luca","family":"Steardo Jr","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Psychiatric Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hu, J., Zhang, J., Hu, L., Yu, H., and Xu, J. 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