Expressing through Creativity: An Intervention for the Mental Health of Children Living at Child Care Institutions in Goa, India

Abstract

ABSTRACT Child Care Institutions (CCI) are often considered the best remedy for vulnerable children in India. Research suggests deteriorating mental health of the children residing at CCI and an inadequate mental health infrastructure aggravates this problem. An alternative therapy is vital to improve the current situation. Research confirms the positive effects of Expressive Art Therapy (EAT) for children facing mental health crises. In this paper, we aim to assess the effectiveness of EAT on the mental health, emotion regulation and resilience of these children. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was adopted for this intervention study. Forty-three children from two CCI in Goa participated in this study and were divided in to two groups. Group A (n = 18) received full intervention, whereas Group B (n = 25) received partial intervention. The quantitative analysis of psychometric data Group A showed significant improvement in their overall mental health and resilience scores. The qualitative content analysis of the art materials and interviews of same group supports the quantitative findings. Group B has also shown positive effects on some mental health and resilience constructs. Our findings reiterate the effectiveness of EAT for children in CCI and that this therapy could corroborate in their daily curriculum to promote overall well-being.