The effectiveness of a collaborative art-making task on reducing stress in hospice caregivers

The goal of this study was to use quantitative measures to determine the effectiveness of a collaborative art-making task on reducing burnout and increasing social support in a group of hospice caregivers. In this pre–post design, 20 caregivers experienced a control condition, followed by an experimental art-making condition 1 month later in which the group worked together to create a team quilt. The experimental condition experienced significantly larger pretest to posttest decreases in Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS) total score, MBI-GS Exhaustion subscale score, and MBI-GS Cynicism subscale score, compared to the control group. A statistically significant pretest to posttest increase in Work Colleagues Support score on the Support Appraisal for Work Stressors (SAWS) Inventory was also found. Implications, possible limitations, and future research are discussed.

► We use quantitative measures to test the effects of a team quilt on reducing burnout.
► Twenty hospice caregivers participated in this pre–post experimental design.
► Burnout scores significantly decreased following the team quilt intervention.
► Perceived social support from work colleagues significantly increased.
► Collaborative art can reduce burnout and increase social support in caregivers.