The promise of art to understand and support the diagnostic journey of patients with neurodegenerative disorders: a scoping review and critical appraisal of the literature

Introduction Being diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disorder entails an emotional journey for both patients and caregivers. Arts-based activities may allow for expression of negative emotions and offer psychosocial support to patients with a life-changing diagnosis.This review focuses on previous applications of art to support and explore this journey and maps methodological gaps and challenges in this field.Method A systematic search was conducted in PsychINFO, Embase, Medline and Web of Science according to the Joanna Briggs Institute and the PRISMA scoping review guidelines.Results Following screening of 1515 records, thirteen studies were eligible, of which most focused on people with dementia. A total of 177 participants were identified, of whom data for only 76 were related to the diagnostic journey. Most included studies employed a qualitative methodology for data collection and analysis. Narrative arts-based activities were the most popular form of art used among studies. Arts-based activities were used either as an intervention or to collect participant experiences and were generally well-received. They allowed participants to reflect on the emotional complexities of their diagnostic journey. Furthermore, they seem to improve mood and increase social cohesion.Discussion Most selected studies were qualitative and of low sample size. The role of cultural differences in patient perception of the diagnostic journey was unexplored. There is a need for structured frameworks and more rigorous protocols to deliver arts-based interventions and evaluate their efficacy for future clinical applications.