How do you know what you want? Service user views on decision aids for the arts therapies

Service user preferences should be integrated into mental healthcare wherever possible, and providing information about the treatments on offer is essential for informed choice. Methods of presenting information about the arts therapies require consideration. This study sought to obtain service user opinions on three decision aids designed for the arts therapies. Five focus group workshops totalling 20 participants were conducted with service users in community mental health services. They were shown three decision aids for the arts therapies: leaflets, videos and taster sessions. Discussions were recorded, transcribed and analysed using framework analysis. Four themes were developed: Previous experiences of the arts shaped discussions; Aims of treatment are essential information; There were different expectations of each decision aid; The decision aids offered an evolving understanding of the art form in the workshops. These results imply that service users' previous experiences and expectations of the arts must be understood by clinicians when engaging in decision-making about treatment. Service users wanted to know explicit aims and goals of the arts therapies in all three decision aids. All decision aids were useful in different ways, therefore timing in the decision making process and physical location of the aids are worth considering.