<![CDATA[Background: Hallucinations are a dominant symptom of schizophrenia that requires pharmacological treatment as the primary intervention. Complementary non-pharmacological therapies are also needed to improve patients’ ability to distinguish and control reality-based experiences. Drawing therapy, an art-based intervention, may help divert attention from internal stimuli associated with hallucinations. However, evidence regarding its effectiveness has not been systematically synthesized. Objective: To identify the effectiveness of drawing therapy in reducing hallucinatory symptoms among inpatients with schizophrenia. Methods: A narrative review was conducted by searching Google Scholar, Garuda Portal, and the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) for articles published between 2022 and 2026. Nine articles met the inclusion criteria. Results: The reviewed literature indicates that drawing therapy can reduce the signs, symptoms, and severity of hallucinations and improve patients’ ability to control them. Its effectiveness may be mediated through distraction from internal stimuli, emotional expression, and stimulation of cognitive and psychomotor functions. Conclusion: Drawing therapy is an effective complementary non-pharmacological intervention in psychiatric nursing for helping control hallucinatory symptoms among patients with schizophrenia in inpatient wards and supporting optimal symptom management.]]>
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