Comparing the Effectiveness of Art Therapy based on Painting with Childbirth Preparation Classes on Psychological Distress of Pregnant Women

Background: Psychological distress is very common during pregnancy and threatens the health of both the mother and fetus. Non-pharmacological treatments are of priority to reduce the psychological distress of pregnant women. Objectives: This study aimed to determine and compare the effectiveness of art therapy based on painting and childbirth preparation classes on the psychological distress of pregnant women in the third trimester of pregnancy. Materials & Methods: The present study was a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of all pregnant women in the third trimester who were referred to health and treatment centers of Kerman in 2020, among whom 51 were selected by convenience sampling method and randomly assigned into three groups of art therapy based on painting, childbirth preparation classes, and a control group (n=17 in each group). Data were collected using Kessler psychological distress scale in two periods before and after the interventions. Art therapy based on a painting was performed in 12 sessions of 90 minutes weekly for the first experimental group for a month and a half. Childbirth preparation classes were performed in eight 90-minute weekly sessions for the second experimental group for two months. The control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using univariate analysis of covariance and Bonferroni posthoc test. Results: The mean (Standard deviation) of psychological distress in the art therapy based on the painting group decreased from 23.47 (0.89) in the pre-test to 8 (0.71) in the post-test (P<0.001). In the childbirth preparation class group, it decreased from 23 ±0.51 in the pre-test to 17.10 ±1. 01 in the post-test (P< 0.001). It showed that art therapy based on painting was found more effective in comparison with childbirth preparation classes (P< 0.05). While there was no difference in the psychological distress of the control group in the pre-test and post-test. Conclusions: Both interventions reduced the psychological distress of pregnant women in the third trimester. In comparison with the two interventions, art therapy based on painting was more effective in reducing psychological distress.