Comparative Effectiveness of Expressive Arts Therapy Modalities Among Chinese University Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial Analysis of Music, Visual Arts, and Combined Interventions

Mental health challenges among Chinese university students have reached concerning levels, affecting academic performance and well-being across higher education institutions. Recent studies show that music-based therapeutic interventions effectively address emotional regulation difficulties in medical and university student populations (Chen et al., 2024). This supports growing evidence that mental health support systems need innovative, culturally adapted approaches to serve diverse student populations effectively.

 Expressive arts therapy (EAT) includes multiple therapeutic approaches—music, visual arts, and combined methods—each providing different mechanisms for emotional processing and psychological healing. Systematic reviews have confirmed the effectiveness of expressive arts interventions across various populations, showing significant improvements in psychosocial well-being and mental health outcomes (Phillips et al., 2024). Visual arts therapy has proven particularly effective in addressing traumatic experiences through creative expression and non-verbal processing (Maddox et al., 2024). Additionally, controlled trials have documented specific benefits of art therapy for anxiety reduction, with randomized studies showing significant therapeutic effects compared to control conditions (Abbing et al., 2019). Despite this evidence, significant gaps remain in understanding how different EAT modalities compare within specific cultural contexts. Meta-analytic evidence supports music therapy's effectiveness for depressive symptoms in college populations, but comparative studies examining multiple therapeutic approaches are still limited (Lin & Li, 2025). Research with Chinese university students has shown that expressive arts therapy can enhance resilience and coping mechanisms, indicating cultural receptivity to these interventions (Li & Peng, 2022). However, systematic comparisons of music therapy, visual arts therapy, and combined approaches within Chinese educational settings are notably absent from current literature.

 This study addresses these research gaps by conducting a randomized controlled trial comparing music therapy, visual arts therapy, and combined expressive arts interventions among Chinese university students. The investigation aims to determine optimal therapeutic modalities for this population while examining factors that may influence treatment outcomes.

Study Design and Participants

This study employed a parallel-group randomized controlled trial design conducted at a comprehensive technical university in Shanghai, China, between March 2024 and November 2024. University students were eligible if they scored above the clinical threshold on the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) global severity index, were aged 18-25 years, and provided informed consent. Exclusion criteria included current participation in other psychological interventions, severe mental illness requiring immediate clinical attention, or inability to attend regular sessions. Participants were recruited through campus mental health screening programs and student counseling center referrals.

 Sample size calculation was based on detecting a moderate effect size (Cohen's d = 0.5) with 80% power and α = 0.05, requiring 64 participants per group. Accounting for 20% attrition, the target sample was 320 participants (80 per group). Computer-generated randomization using permuted blocks of varying sizes ensured balanced allocation across four groups: music therapy, visual arts therapy, combined therapy, and waitlist control. Allocation concealment was maintained through sequentially numbered, sealed envelopes managed by an independent research coordinator. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were collected before randomization to ensure group comparability.

 Intervention Protocols

The study implemented three active intervention conditions and one control condition, as detailed in Table 1. All therapeutic interventions were delivered in small groups of 8-10 participants over an 8-week period with twice-weekly 90-minute sessions, totaling 16 sessions per participant. Music therapy sessions focused on active music-making, including improvisation with percussion instruments, collaborative songwriting, and guided music listening with reflection. Visual arts therapy incorporated painting, drawing, collage work, and clay modeling, emphasizing creative expression and symbolic representation of emotions.

 The combined therapy group received alternating music and visual arts sessions within the same 8-week framework, providing exposure to both modalities while maintaining equivalent contact time. All interventions were manualized to ensure consistency and delivered by qualified therapists with specialized training in expressive arts approaches. The control group continued with routine university counseling services and was offered the intervention of their choice after study completion.

Table 1. Summary of Intervention Protocols

 Outcome Measures and Data Collection

The primary outcome measure was change in psychological distress assessed using the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), a validated 90-item self-report inventory measuring nine symptom dimensions and global severity index. The Chinese version demonstrates excellent psychometric properties in university populations. Secondary outcomes included clinical remission rates (defined as ≥50% reduction in SCL-90-R global severity index) and subscale scores for specific symptom domains including depression, anxiety, and interpersonal sensitivity.

Demographic and clinical covariates were collected at baseline, including age, gender, academic major, family background, and scores on the Cultural Adaptation Scale for Chinese Students, a 24-item measure assessing cultural values and help-seeking attitudes. Data collection occurred at three time points: baseline (pre-intervention), immediate post-intervention (8 weeks), and follow-up (12 weeks post-baseline). All assessments were administered electronically using secure data collection platforms. Research assistants trained in standardized assessment procedures conducted outcome evaluations while remaining blind to group assignment. Missing data patterns were monitored throughout the study period to inform subsequent analytical approaches.

 Statistical Analysis

Statistical analyses followed intention-to-treat principles using SPSS version 29.0. Baseline group differences were examined using one-way analysis of variance for continuous variables and chi-square tests for categorical variables. The primary analysis employed mixed-effects repeated measures ANOVA to examine group × time interactions for the SCL-90-R global severity index, with baseline scores as covariates. Post-hoc pairwise comparisons used Bonferroni correction to control for multiple testing.

 Secondary analyses included logistic regression for clinical remission rates and multiple linear regression models examining the influence of demographic and cultural factors on treatment response. Effect sizes were calculated using Cohen's d for between-group comparisons and eta-squared for ANOVA results. Missing data were handled using multiple imputation procedures, creating five imputed datasets based on observed patterns. Subgroup analyses examined differential treatment effects by gender, academic major, and cultural adaptation scores using interaction terms in regression models. Sensitivity analyses compared results from complete-case and imputed datasets to assess robustness of findings. Statistical significance was set at α = 0.05 for all analyses.

This study demonstrates that combined expressive arts therapy achieves superior therapeutic outcomes compared to single-modality approaches among Chinese university students, with effect sizes ranging from d = 0.49 to 0.88 across treatment conditions. The combined intervention's effectiveness (d = 0.88) aligns with recent evidence supporting multimodal approaches, where audio-visual art combined with music therapy showed enhanced benefits over single interventions in adolescent populations (Iyendo et al., 2024). This finding extends international meta-analytic evidence indicating moderate to large effect sizes for arts-based interventions in young adults (Zhang et al., 2025).

The observed gender disparity, with females showing 1.6-fold greater treatment response, reflects broader patterns in help-seeking behaviors and emotional expression within Chinese cultural contexts. Similarly, the attenuated response among engineering students (31% versus 48% improvement) suggests that discipline-specific cognitive styles and cultural attitudes toward creative expression influence therapeutic engagement (Liu et al., 2025). The finding that 84.4% of participants experienced emotional expression tensions and 40% demonstrated performative participation highlights significant cultural barriers to Western therapeutic approaches.

 These results have important clinical implications for adapting expressive arts therapy within Chinese educational settings. Systematic reviews emphasizing the need for culturally responsive protocols support the importance of addressing cultural adaptation challenges (Joschko et al., 2022). However, study limitations include single-site recruitment and limited follow-up duration. Future research should examine long-term effectiveness and develop culturally adapted intervention protocols that address identified barriers while maintaining therapeutic efficacy across diverse student populations.

This randomized controlled trial establishes that combined expressive arts therapy provides superior therapeutic benefits for Chinese university students experiencing psychological distress, achieving the largest effect size (d = 0.88) and highest clinical remission rate (28.2%) among tested interventions. The study reveals a clear therapeutic hierarchy, with music therapy demonstrating moderate to large effects (d = 0.72) while visual arts therapy shows smaller but significant benefits (d = 0.49). These findings provide the evidence needed to guide intervention selection in university mental health settings.

The research identifies significant individual and cultural factors that influence treatment response. Female students consistently achieved better outcomes across all treatment modalities, suggesting the need for gender-sensitive treatment planning. Engineering students showed markedly reduced responsiveness compared to peers in other disciplines, indicating that academic background should inform therapeutic approach selection. The widespread presence of emotional expression barriers (84.4% of participants) and performative engagement patterns (40% of cases) underscores the importance of cultural adaptation in therapeutic design.

For clinical practice, the results support implementing combined expressive arts approaches as the intervention of choice when resources permit. University counseling centers should consider offering specialized programs that address identified cultural barriers while maintaining therapeutic effectiveness. Training programs for mental health practitioners working with Chinese student populations should emphasize cultural competency skills that recognize and address emotional expression tensions. These evidence-based recommendations can enhance the effectiveness of expressive arts interventions within Chinese higher education contexts while respecting cultural values and individual differences.

 CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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