Effect of Group Art Therapy on Learned Helplessness and Self-Leadership

Abstract

Purpose: Group art therapy is the introduction of art to group psychotherapy, and the client observes how others in similar situations solve their problems through group activities. In addition, through this, they can give and receive help among themselves and form an organic bond. Group art therapy has the characteristic that art activities help promote emotional expression that has been suppressed in the past, and self-exposure and self-understanding are actively presented in the group. group art therapy helps the subject to have a deep insight into his or her inner self to solve problems and build a positive self-image. As a result of examining the programs related to learned helplessness, efforts on measures to reduce helplessness could be found. By conducting group art therapy on learned helplessness and self-leadership, we tried to change negative perceptions and behaviors and increase positive views through group interactions and successful experiences in the art therapy process to help rational decision-making. As such, the purpose of this study is to provide basic data on a counseling approach that gives a sense of accomplishment and converts negative moti-vation into positive motivation to reduce learned helplessness and improve self-leadership through group art therapy programs. Method: Based on the results of the basic research, major variables and related programs related to the learned helplessness and self-leadership of college students were analyzed through various literature and previ-ous research data and reflected in the preliminary program. A preliminary program was conducted to secure empirical evidence for the revision and improvement of the group art therapy program organized according to the program procedure to understand the acceptance of participants and the effectiveness of the program. It consists of verifying the effectiveness of the group art therapy program for college students. To verify the effectiveness, 10 experimental groups and control groups were formed for students at D University located in Daegu, Gyeong-sangbuk-do, and from April to June 2021, it was conducted twice a week for 100 minutes and a total of 10 sessions. Results: In the experimental group, there was a significant difference in learned helplessness and self-leadership. In the case of learned helplessness sub-factors, it was found that there was a significant effect in sub-factors excluding depression and negative perception. In the sub-factors of self-leadership, significant effects were found after the program. Conclusion: As discussed in this study, it was found that the group art therapy program is effective in reducing learned help-lessness and promoting self-leadership of college students.