George Adu Gyamfi

Despite increased awareness of youth mental health challenges, the available support systems remain inadequate to address the complex emotional and psychological consequences of trauma, especially in the context where access to professional mental health services is limited. Thus, this study adopted the systematic review approach to explore creative arts interventions for trauma-informed youth mental health support. The study adopted systematic review approach, consulting five (5) credible databases for the relevant literature. The search employed the Population, Exposure, and Outcome (PEO) tools, using relevant keywords and search terms. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) was used to select final sixteen (16) literature, which was used for the thematic analysis. Results showed that trauma exposure influence emotional regulation, cognitive development, social relationships, and psychological wellbeing among children and adolescents. Findings showed that diverse creative arts approaches are used to support trauma-informed youth mental health, including paint, slime, cardboard, and Play-Doh. Results showed that creative arts interventions are generally effective in improving emotional wellbeing, psychological adjustment, and trauma recovery among youths. The findings showed that there are diverse mechanisms explaining how creative arts interventions support trauma recovery among youths, including emotional regulation, self-awareness, and social connection and belonging. Findings showed that there are several challenges associated with the use of creative arts interventions for trauma-informed mental health challenges. The study concludes that trauma-related mental health illnesses among youths are associated with adverse experiences, violence, and social vulnerabilities they have had while growing up.