Found objects in clinical practice: Preliminary evidence

Abstract

Few published studies have examined the use of material objects in art therapy or psychotherapy, yet objects have been part of our lives since birth and are part of the lived lives of people across all cultural and ethnic groups. Considering the importance of material objects in human development, it seems worthwhile to explore their use in clinical work. Using an embedded case study design, a type of material object, the found object, was introduced to people in individual and group therapy. Thematic analysis resulted in 19 identified themes, which were classified within four domains: clinical rationale, responses to found objects, impact of found objects and function of found objects. The use of found objects were favourably endorsed and discovered to be surprisingly useful tools within therapy that helped to enhance engagement, increase curiosity, reduce difficult feelings, evoke memories and provide a sense of agency through increased physical activity and environmental action, among other results. Clinicians are encouraged to consider the potential use of material objects as therapeutic tools and researchers are urged to design protocols to further examine a range of object use in clinical and community settings and with different populations.