A systematic review on art-based interventions for suicide prevention in the youth population

The current systematic review investigates the effectiveness of art-based interventions for suicide prevention among youth aged 12–24, an age group disproportionately affected by mental health challenges and heightened suicide risk. Herein, a broad search strategy encompassing a wide range of art modalities (e.g., music, theatre, and expressive arts) and targeting outcomes related to suicide awareness and prevention was adopted to identify relevant reports from five databases– Google Scholar, Embase, PubMed, OVID, ERIC. The reports were found to have heterogeneous designs and interventions. Fifteen studies were selected, and a narrative synthesis was conducted categorizing studies by intervention type due to extensive heterogeneity and lack of standardized effect size data. Findings highlight promising qualitative evidence in music and theater-based interventions that influence changes in attitudes toward suicide and help-seeking behaviors, though the diversity of approaches and outcomes reflect a need for further rigorous, standardized research. The review highlights the potential of art-based therapies as innovative aids in suicide prevention for youth, while calling for more consistent study designs to establish efficacy and guide clinical practice.