Positive Art Therapy Theory and Practice: Integrating Positive Psychology With Art Therapy (Théorie et pratique de l’art-thérapie positive: intégration de la psychologie positive en art-thérapie), by Rebecca Ann Wilkinson and Gioia Chilton

The field of Psychology has been criticised as being overly focused on pathology and less on the positive aspects of human functioning. Positive psychology research assesses what is going well and try to find ways to learn from those phenomena to enhance positive functioning amongst human beings. Making use of a desk study review, this study discusses research related to Positive psychology conducted in Namibia related to the world of work. This study focused on research work published during 2009-2019 within different industries ranging from education, health and social services, governmental institutions, service industry and the mining sector. Recommendations span from enhancing the positive human qualities, identifying factors that work against positive functioning, enhancing the working environment, improving healthy styles of leadership and developing the overall well-being of the organisation. This study aims to consolidate what has been researched within the Namibian context, taking stock and guiding the future approaches and focus within the field of Positive psychology. There is limited research within the field of Positive psychology and even less within the Namibian context. This study aims to reduce that gap within knowledge and within the field of psychology.

The difficulty experienced by most children is ability in terms of emotional control. So that they often have difficulty in conveying the things they want. And the culmination is an attitude of aggression in children. The solution to this problem is psychological therapy. Many therapeutic models are commonly used in the field of psychology, one of which is art therapy. The method used in this study is the experimental psychology method. The problem solving strategy in this study uses a technological approach. Art therapy is made on the basis of mobile technology, so that its application becomes more interesting and interactive. Children can freely express visually their thoughts and feelings through scratches and colors on an image on paper. The results of the scratches will appear in the form of 3D objects using augmented reality technology. The creation of applications in the form of real time coloring in augmented reality objects, is expected to be a medium for channeling emotions for children. So that it can be used as a therapeutic medium that can reduce the level of aggression in children.

The majority of mental health problems are non-psychotic (e.g., depression, anxiety, and phobias). For some people, art therapy may be a more acceptable alternative form of psychological therapy than standard forms of treatment, such as talking therapies. This study was part of a health technology assessment commissioned by the National Institute for Health Research, UK and aimed to systematically appraise the clinical and cost-effective evidence for art therapy for people with non-psychotic mental health disorders. Comprehensive literature searches for studies examining art therapy in populations with non-psychotic mental health disorders were performed in May 2013. A quantitative systematic review of clinical effectiveness and a systematic review of studies evaluating the cost-effectiveness of group art therapy were conducted. Eleven randomised controlled trials were included (533 patients). Meta-analysis was not possible due to clinical heterogeneity and insufficient comparable data on outcome measures across studies. The control groups varied between studies but included: no treatment/wait-list, attention placebo controls and psychological therapy comparators. Art therapy was associated with significant positive changes relative to the control group in mental health symptoms in 7 of the 11 studies. A de novo model was constructed and populated with data identified from the clinical review. Scenario analyses were conducted allowing comparisons of group art therapy with wait-list control and group art therapy with group verbal therapy. Group art-therapy appeared cost-effective compared with wait-list control with high certainty although generalisability to the target population was unclear; group verbal therapy appeared more cost-effective than art therapy but there was considerable uncertainty and a sizeable probability that art therapy was more cost effective. From the limited available evidence art therapy was associated with positive effects compared with control in a number of studies in patients with different clinical profiles. The included trials were generally of poor quality and are therefore likely to be at high risk of bias. Art therapy appeared to be cost-effective versus wait-list but further studies are needed to confirm this finding in the target population. There was insufficient evidence to make an informed comparison of the cost-effectiveness of group art therapy with group verbal therapy. HTA project no. 12/27/16; PROSPERO registration no. CRD42013003957 .

BackgroundThe majority of mental health problems are non-psychotic (e.g., depression, anxiety, and phobias). For some people, art therapy may be a more acceptable alternative form of psychological therapy than standard forms of treatment, such as talking therapies. This study was part of a health technology assessment commissioned by the National Institute for Health Research, UK and aimed to systematically appraise the clinical and cost-effective evidence for art therapy for people with non-psychotic mental health disorders.MethodsComprehensive literature searches for studies examining art therapy in populations with non-psychotic mental health disorders were performed in May 2013. A quantitative systematic review of clinical effectiveness and a systematic review of studies evaluating the cost-effectiveness of group art therapy were conducted.ResultsEleven randomised controlled trials were included (533 patients). Meta-analysis was not possible due to clinical heterogeneity and insufficient comparable data on outcome measures across studies. The control groups varied between studies but included: no treatment/wait-list, attention placebo controls and psychological therapy comparators. Art therapy was associated with significant positive changes relative to the control group in mental health symptoms in 7 of the 11 studies. A de novo model was constructed and populated with data identified from the clinical review. Scenario analyses were conducted allowing comparisons of group art therapy with wait-list control and group art therapy with group verbal therapy. Group art-therapy appeared cost-effective compared with wait-list control with high certainty although generalisability to the target population was unclear; group verbal therapy appeared more cost-effective than art therapy but there was considerable uncertainty and a sizeable probability that art therapy was more cost effective.ConclusionsFrom the limited available evidence art therapy was associated with positive effects compared with control in a number of studies in patients with different clinical profiles. The included trials were generally of poor quality and are therefore likely to be at high risk of bias. Art therapy appeared to be cost-effective versus wait-list but further studies are needed to confirm this finding in the target population. There was insufficient evidence to make an informed comparison of the cost-effectiveness of group art therapy with group verbal therapy.Trial registrationHTA project no. 12/27/16; PROSPERO registration no. CRD42013003957.

The purpose of this capstone thesis was to write a call-to-action manuscript that will be submitted for publication to the American Art Therapy Association Journal. The manuscript calls upon the American Art Therapy Association as the national organization of the profession to create LGBTQIA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual) guidelines for art therapy, including the importance of integrating LGBTQIA history in graduate school curricula. Reviewing recommendations from scholars in the counseling, psychology, and art therapy fields, as well as reviewing the LGBTQIA guidelines created for the counseling and psychology, this capstone also suggests ways in which LGBTQIA guidelines for art therapy that focus specifically on LGBTQIA culture and history can help to queer multicultural courses in graduate art therapy programs as well as assist professionals outside of the educational setting.

Positive Psychology in Christian Perspective: Foundations, Concepts, and Application

'Positive psychology' or 'Psychology of Strength' is one of the important branch which give greatest contributions in recent time in the field of psychology (Seligman, 2000). Positive Psychology is not a new field. During the times of Socrates, Aristotle, Plato has focused on the study of Good Life means it is indicate that positive activities in human life. Positive Psychology has a briefhistory and long background. Variety of concepts consisted in this area such as resilience, well-being, self-efficacy, coping strength, hardiness, positive adaptation, optimism, happiness etc.In 21th century variety of behavioral problems has increasing day by day in the society. Every individual face many of psycho-social difficulties during their life course. Many of people strive these stressful situations very easily and they recover quickly from adverse events this is a positive capacity we called as 'resilience'. In the field of positive psychology 'resilience' is relative new concept which researchers have taking interest in it. Resilience means the capacity of 'bounce back' from adverse situations in the life. Resilience has a long history and deep roots. In 1970's and 1980's researchers focus their attention on resilience and studied scientifically manner. The concept of resilience introduced of the world with the study of psychopathology, medicine and education field (Masten, 1989; Masten Coatwort, 1988). Werner (1992) refers to resilience is positive capacity in which individuals exhibit positive behavioral adaptation when they faced significant or trauma in their life. Richardson (2000) defined resilience as the process of coping with that contributes to development of protective factors. Resilience consisted two components that is resistance against destructions (as personal capacity to protect his or her integrity under stressful situations), and the ability to constructed a positive life in spite of (Vanistendael, 1995). According to Ann Masten (2001) Resilience is an magic. Masten's concept of ordinary magic identified two aspects of resilience research. First aspect explored that many people show resilient responses to significant life challenges, in other words, resilience is not a rare and extraordinary capacity but it is common characteristics found in every individuals'. Second aspect is a lack of extraordinariness. Resilience is not from superman ability but it is arises from everyday features of people's lives. Resilience is pattern of behavior and functioning indicative of positive adaptation in the context of significant risk and adversity (Masten & Coatsworth, 1998).Well-being as dynamic concept including Subjective, psychological, social and health dimensions. Well-being is one of the important indicator of individuals as well as societies strive for. Ryan and Deci (2001) suggested that well-being has been related to number of factors such as emotions, physical health, personality traits, wealth, social support etc. According to Kiefer (2008) well-being defined in terms of an individual's, physical, mental, social and environmental status interacting with each other and these factors having different level of influence on each individual. Well-being as preponderance of positive and negative affect (Bradbum, 1996). Ryffs presented model of well being with six dimensions such as autonomy, personal growth, self acceptance, purpose in life, environmental mastery and positive relations with others. Different terms used in literature synonymously of well-being such as happiness, satisfaction, moral and positive affect (Chekola, 1975; Culberson, 1977; Jones, 1953; Tatarkiewiez, 1976; Wessmans, 1957; & Wilson, I960). Kitchener and jorm (2002) defined the well-being has a state of mind with an absence of mental disorders, perspectives ofpositive psychology ,ability to enjoy life and create balance between activities and efforts to achieve psychological resilience. …

The article discusses the features of art therapy in modern psychology, examines its essence and describes different areas of art therapy. In modern psychology, art therapy as therapy tool is one of the psychological methods promoting formation of a holistic and creative personality, opening new possibilities for self-realization and helping people find new ways of interaction with the world to improve interpersonal relationships. Art therapy is based on mobilization of human creative potential, internal mechanisms of self-regulation and healing. The art therapy features are: use of metaphors, triad influence and resourcefulness. The art therapy areas are: visual art therapy, fairytale therapy, music therapy, dance and movement therapy, phototherapy and others. Visual art therapy means psychotherapy with drawing or painting that allows clients to feel and understand themselves, to express freely their thoughts and feelings, to develop empathy, to be themselves, and also to get rid of negative experiences. Drawing develops sensory-motor coordination, and improves links between the cerebral hemispheres, since the drawing process coordinates the image thinking, related mainly with actuation of the right hemisphere, with the abstract logic, for which the left hemisphere is responsible. Fairytale therapy is psychotherapy that uses the fairy-tale form for an individual’s psychological integration, development of creative abilities, expansion of consciousness, improvement of interactions with the outside world. In fairytale therapy, the healing metaphorical potential of fairy tales is used to help both children and adults learn about their inner world, discover their capabilities, cope with different life situations, and build harmonious relationships with the outside world and the social environment. Music therapy is psychotherapy that uses music for healing and rehabilitative purposes. The basis of music therapy is the psychotherapeutic effect of music on humans. Music therapy promotes harmonization and stabilization of clients’ emotional sphere, helps develop communicative, creative and empathic abilities, helps establish and develop interpersonal relationships. Dance-motion therapy means psychotherapeutic use of dance and movements because such process promotes integration of an individual’s emotional and physical states, namely in the awareness of his/her body, in expression of his/her emotions and feelings, in development of communication skills and interpersonal interactions. It is important for dance-movement therapy that movements influence perception; emotions and feelings can be expressed through them; breathing and touches are used. Dance movements have symbolic meanings; they contribute to an individual’s internal transformations and formation of a whole personality. Phototherapy is a therapy that is based on the use of photography to solve psychological problems, as well as for personal growth and development. Thanks to phototherapy, an individual has the opportunity to see at his/her life from an unexpected point of view, to find new solutions for different areas of his/her life. Phototherapy allows a person to find their own creative vision of the world. Therefore, art therapy is an effective method of psychological help and one of the most productive ways of creative self-expression.

A arteterapia é um método baseado no uso de várias formas de expressão artística com uma finalidade terapêutica. O presente artigo aborda a arteterapia tendo como objetivo refletir sobre a arte como instrumento de trabalho no campo específico da Psicologia. Apoiando-se na revisão de literatura sobre a temática, o artigo parte de um olhar histórico, examinando o contexto em que a arteterapia surge e seu desenvolvimento no Brasil. A seguir, são analisados os pressupostos fundamentais que norteiam o psicólogo nessa prática, assim como os aspectos conceituais e metodológicos próprios a cada uma das abordagens principais em arteterapia: psicanalítica, junguiana e gestáltica. A reflexão desenvolvida mostra que, apesar das diferentes molduras teóricas, a arteterapia é perpassada por uma concepção estética do humano, visto como um ser criativo, capaz de se transformar em artista da própria vida. Conclui-se, então, que a arte pode ser uma ferramenta valiosa para a atuação do psicólogo nos mais diferentes contextos, vinculada ao seu compromisso ético de contribuir para que o sujeito se (re)constitua como autor da própria história.

The author's concern about palliative care, the elderly and chronically ill is demonstrated by the creative utilization of a number of disciplines, Pastoral Counseling, Art Therapy, and Psychology in caring for clients. She shows how Maslow's Hierarchy can be used as a focused lens suggesting broader assessment of client needs that might enhance the interventional repertoire for mature students and more experienced creative clinicians in fields of Pastoral Counselling, CPE, Psychology, and Art Therapy.

Mental health problems account for almost half of all ill health in people under 65 years. The majority are non-psychotic (e.g. depression, anxiety and phobias). For some people, art therapy may provide more profound and long-lasting healing than more standard forms of treatment, perhaps because it can provide an alternative means of expression and release from trauma. As yet, no formal evaluation of art therapy for non-psychotic mental health disorders has been conducted. This review aimed to evaluate evidence for the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of art therapy for non-psychotic mental health disorders. Comprehensive literature searches for studies examining art therapy in populations with non-psychotic mental health disorders were performed in major health-related and social science bibliographic databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsycINFO, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database (AMED) and Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (ASSIA) from inception up to May 2013. A quantitative systematic review of clinical effectiveness, a qualitative review to explore the acceptability, relative benefits and potential harms, and a cost-utility analysis of studies evaluating cost-effectiveness of art therapy were conducted. In the quantitative review, 15 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were included (n = 777). Meta-analysis was not possible because of clinical heterogeneity and insufficient comparable data on outcome measures across studies. A narrative synthesis reports that art therapy was associated with significant positive changes relative to the control group in mental health symptoms in 10 out of the 15 studies. The control groups varied between studies but included wait-list/no treatment, attention placebo controls and psychological therapy comparators. Four studies reported improvement from baseline but no significant difference between groups. One study reported that outcomes were more favourable in the control group. The quality of included RCTs was generally low. In the qualitative review, 12 cohort studies were included (n = 188 service users; n = 16 service providers). Themes relating to benefits of art therapy for service users included the relationship with the therapist, personal achievement and distraction. Areas of potential harms were related to the activation of emotions that were then unresolved, lack of skill of the art therapist and sudden termination of art therapy. The quality of included qualitative studies was generally low to moderate. In the cost-effectiveness review, a de novo model was constructed and populated with data identified from the clinical review. Scenario analyses were conducted allowing comparisons of group art therapy with wait-list control, group art therapy with group verbal therapy, and individual art therapy versus control. Art therapy appeared cost-effective compared with wait-list control with high certainty, although generalisability to the target population was unclear. Verbal therapy appeared more cost-effective than art therapy but there was considerable uncertainty and a sizeable probability that art therapy was more clinically effective. The cost-effectiveness of individual art therapy was uncertain and dependent on assumptions regarding clinical benefit and duration of benefit. From the limited available evidence, art therapy was associated with positive effects when compared with a control in a number of studies in patients with different clinical profiles, and it was reported to be an acceptable treatment and was associated with a number of benefits. Art therapy appeared to be cost-effective compared with wait-list but further studies are needed to confirm this finding as well as evidence to inform future cost-effective analyses of art therapy versus other treatments. The study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42013003957. The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.

Chapter 13 - Art therapy for trauma recovery and response

This paper offers a review of how the role of Art Therapy is represented in four important areas: In Specialist (Tier 3) Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in England, in government and related documentation and polices, within broader literature pertaining to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, as well as in Art Therapy publications. The author found that there are shortcomings in the understanding of the profession including the unique role that art therapy offers, as well as an evident lack of inclusion across the range of literature. The author contends that central factors exerting influence include powerful socio-politico-economic agenda and influence, unprecedented change in the field of psychological therapies, unconscious processes, and limited self-promotion. The paper argues that lack of clarity and effective promotion of the unique role of art therapy may lead to there being a lack of consideration of art therapy or for art therapy to be decommissioned in CAMHS. The review has worldwide relevance to those concerned with practice, promotion and commissioning of art therapy in services that work children and young people with mental health and psychological needs. Keywords: socio-politico agenda, promotion, representation, NHS publications, child and adolescent mental health services

Clay handbuilding among children with spinal cord injuries: Towards educational protocol development

In today’s society, the psychological development of college students’ personality is nourished by positive factors such as multiculturalism and information technology, but at the same time, negative factors such as social competition and Internet addiction also pose challenges to their psychological health. College students are at a critical stage of rapid physical and mental changes, therefore, mental health education for college students is not only an educational responsibility, but also an urgent task given by the times. Positive psychology, as a new wave in the field of psychology, advocates exploring the potentials and advantages of human psychology with a positive attitude, providing a new perspective and concept for the innovation of mental health education. With the cultivation of positive psychological qualities as the core, this study aims to explore how to build a comprehensive, systematic and efficient mental health mechanism for college students in colleges and universities. Firstly, a solid theoretical foundation for the study is laid through an in-depth analysis of the core concepts of mental health, mental health education, college students’ mental health education, positive psychology and positive psychological quality. Subsequently, a comprehensive review of domestic and international research results in the field of positive psychology and college students’ mental health education was conducted, which provided a rich theoretical basis and practical reference for this study. On the basis of theoretical analysis, this study reveals the main problems existing in the current mental health education of college students through questionnaire surveys, in-depth interviews and other empirical research methods, and in response to the above problems, puts forward innovative countermeasures for college students’ mental health mechanisms oriented to the cultivation of positive psychological qualities, forming a comprehensive mental health support system with the cultivation of positive psychological qualities at its core, covering prevention, intervention, education, and counselling.