The Effect of Poetry Therapy on Psychological Outcomes: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Poetry therapy engages mental health clients to evoke emotional expression through poetic techniques and cognitive skills. It belongs to the class of expressive arts therapy. Notably, the fragmented body of academic literature provides evidence on the effectiveness of poetry therapy on psychological outcomes for multiple populations. The current systematic review has evaluated the effect of poetry therapy on psychological outcomes. Within a time frame of a decade (2016 - 2026) a complete study search spanning Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were be undertaken. A combination of keywords spanning both poetry therapy and mental health was employed during the searches. Studies reporting psychological outcomes and using poetry therapy interventions were included. The PRISMA framework was utilized in the selection process and the data were collated and synthesized in a narrative form. A total of ten studies were included, comprising randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, and a case study. Evidence from all studies shows that poetry therapy is beneficial for the psychological well-being of study participants irrespective of the study sample. By far, anxiety was the most reduced symptom post therapy, followed by depression and PTSD. The positive effect of poetry therapy was evident among the studied clinical populations, which consisted of individuals suffering from acute myocardial infarction, cancer, and PTSD, as well as the studied non-clinical populations, comprising students and adolescents. Both standalone and combined poetry therapy interventions were effective, and even short-duration interventions (e.g., four sessions) demonstrated significant benefits. However, variability in study design, intervention formats, and outcome measures was noted. The results suggested that poetry therapy was a promising flexible intervention for addressing the majority of psychological outcomes. Despite encouraging findings, further high-quality randomized controlled trials with standardized methodologies are needed to strengthen the evidence base and support broader clinical application.