Review article

A Neuro-Informed Knowledge Translation Framework for Art Therapy: Conceptual Foundations and Mechanisms

Juliet King *

* Corresponding author.

Supplements: 04 transfer3 2025 ENG ON-LINE King.pdf

Abstract

Art therapy is a regulated mental health profession with demonstrated clinical
benefits; however, its broader integration into mental health, educational,
and policy systems remains limited by inconsistent definitions and limited
access to its scientific foundations. Advances in neuroscience offer compelling
explanations for art therapy’s mechanisms of change, yet these insights
remain underutilized across clinical, educational, and research contexts.
This paper links art therapy with contemporary neuroscience and introduces
BrainPalette™, a neuroscience-informed knowledge-translation framework
developed through sequential mixed-methods research. Drawing primarily on
cognitive neuroscience, and informed by affective and embodied perspectives,
the framework translates complex concepts into accessible, mechanism-based
guidance that supports clinical reasoning, graduate training, and research
design without diagnostic or prescriptive intent. The paper illustrates how
neuroscience-informed knowledge translation can strengthen mental health
literacy, clarify mechanisms of change, enhance competency-based education,
and support interdisciplinary communication across professional contexts.

Keywords

Art Therapy; Neuroscience; Knowledge Translation; BrainPalette™

Hrčak ID:

343476

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/343476

Publication date:

31.12.2025.

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