Group Art Therapy Research Articles

코로나19 상황에서 대학생의 회복탄력성 향상을 위한 집단미술치료 효과 검증 : 대면과 비대면 방식의 비교

The effectiveness of the group art therapy program to improve the resilience for university students in the COVID-19 situation was verified. For this purpose, 31 college students were assigned 17 to the experimental group and 16 to the control group, and the experimental group conducted a group art therapy program contact and non-contact for 5 weeks. For statistical analysis to verify the effectiveness of the program, independent sample t-test and covariate analysis were performed using SPSS 21. The main results are as follows. First, the resilience score of university students who participated in the group art therapy program was significantly improved compared to the control group. Second, the group cohesion score of university students who participated in the group art therapy program showed a significant improvement in the post-test score compared to the pre-test. Third, the difference according to the contact and non-contact participation methods was not significant. It was confirmed that both contact and non-contact methods had a significant effect on improving group cohesion. Using the results of this study in the context of the prolonged COVID-19, university counseling institutions are expected to be able to support university students with effective programs in contact and non-contact methods by using group art therapy as a non-curricular program.

경증치매노인의 인지기능 향상, 우울 감소, 생활만족도 증진을 위한 집단미술치료 프로그램 효과성 연구

The purpose of this study is to perform a program on a group art therapy program for the elderly with mild dementia and to verify the effectiveness. The effect of the program was examined to verify changes in cognitive function, depression, and life satisfaction of the elderly with mild dementia between pre and post test using nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Participants are elderly people with mild dementia who have similar living conditions or economic standards and are currently using care centers in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do. The final analysis was conducted with 10 final experimental groups and 9 control groups. Analysis of covariance was used to verify the effectiveness of program by controlling the pretest score. The main results are as follows. First, the effect of promoting cognitive function that was deteriorated due to dementia was verified in the experimental group participating in the group art therapy program than the control group’s. Second, the reduction of depression was verified in he experimental group participating in the group art therapy program than the control group’s. Third, the effect of promoting life satisfaction was verified in the group participating in the group art therapy program than the control group’s. It was confirmed that the group art therapy program are useful in preserving and restoring cognitive function, protecting mental health through emotional purification, and improving the quality of life. This study has its significance to discover the elderly with mild dementia who were marginalized among dementia patients and to confirm the proactive intervention strategy in the early stage of dementia.

Creating an online arts journaling group for trans clients

ABSTRACT Background Trans people experience high levels of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation and attempts, as well as poor experiences seeking mental health support. There is limited research into the experience and effectiveness of using Art Therapy with trans clients. Context This paper describes an Art Therapy group with trans clients. The group took place online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants consented to have their images and experiences used in this practice paper. Approach Building on the work of Beaumont (2012. Art therapy for gender variant individuals: A compassion oriented approach. Canadian Art Therapy Association Journal, 25(2), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1080/08322473.2012.11415565), and using a neurobiological understanding of Art Therapy, this paper theorises that Art Therapy strategies known to be effective with trauma survivors may also support clients experiencing gender dysphoria. Considering Beaumont’s model, a six-week online Art Therapy intervention using weekly focused themes was developed. A strong focus was given to creating group cohesion through co-creating a working alliance. Clients reflected together on artwork created through arts journaling between sessions. Outcomes Participant engagement was high. The intervention received consistently positive solicited and unsolicited feedback from clients. Limitations of this feedback are noted. Conclusion Trans clients reported that the use of an online arts journaling group approach facilitated a powerful sense of belonging created in the group and reflected through the artwork. Implications for research Research is needed to consider Art Therapy’s effectiveness in improving wellbeing for trans clients through creating a sense of belonging. Research could also consider whether clients experiencing gender dysphoria could be supported by Art Therapy approaches known to work well with traumatised clients. Plain-language summary Trans clients are likely to need support with their mental health due to experiencing high rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal feelings. They are also likely to describe poor experiences of seeking out mental health support. This highlights the importance of developing appropriate, supportive Art Therapy interventions with this client group. This paper describes a six-week online Art Therapy group with trans clients. The group took place in the context of a charity programme to support improved mental health and wellbeing in the trans community. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the group took place online. The group used an arts journaling approach. Clients made artwork between sessions, and shared and reflected on what they had created as a group over Zoom. I describe the theoretical approach which led to the creation of the group, noting the lack of research into working with this client base. I also outline the perspectives considered when recreating the intervention online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I describe the group’s online sessions. I show how the group worked together to create a strong working agreement and shared values. I explore participants’ reflections on their artworks. I consider the emergence of a strong sense of belonging within the group. I also reflect on participants’ feedback, giving space for clients’ own words about their experience. Client feedback shows that participants value sharing their experiences with people they feel understand them and experiencing a sense of belonging in a supportive community. Further research is needed to explore the effectiveness of Art Therapy in improving mental health and wellbeing with this client group. Clients hoped that sharing their experiences could help enable an Art Therapy approach to be considered with trans clients in other contexts.

“My heart on this bit of paper”: A grounded theory of the mechanisms of change in art therapy for military veterans

BackgroundA proportion of veterans experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Research has shown reduced effectiveness of commonly offered psychotherapies in military personnel. Some research suggested the usefulness of art therapy for veterans with PTSD, but its mechanism of operation has been unclear. The current project aimed to establish participants’ perceptions of any impact of group art therapy and some of the perceived mechanisms of change. MethodIn a grounded theory design, single semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine veterans who had received group art therapy, two art therapists, and a veteran's wife. Interviews were transcribed and analysed. FindingsTheorised categories included (a) art therapy group as “the family”, (b) “the gentle conductor”, (c) trust, (d) doing the work, (e) art therapy as “a communication tool”, (f) “points of recognition”, (g) “making things concrete”, and (h) “not a cure”. LimitationsShortcomings included a homogenous sample who all attended art therapy alongside other interventions, reliance on subjective and unmeasured symptom change, and researcher effects related to qualitative methodology. ConclusionThe developed grounded theory is consistent with existing evidence and neuropsychological theory. Group art therapy may enable some veterans to prepare for verbal-only therapy, by offering a safe space in which to approach non-verbal traumatic and trauma-related contextual material in a controlled way. Artworks may provide a bridge to facilitate communication of experiences within subsequent verbal therapy and with loved-ones. It is suggested to replicate the project at different sites. Elements of the developed theory may be investigated further to establish its transferability.

ART THERAPY GROUP AS EFFORTS OF PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY PREVENTION

World Health Organization (WHO) works hard for facing this covid-19 pandemic. The whole world applied WHO suggestions in public health actions, such as social distancing to reduce the spread of COVID-19. However, these protocols lead societies to feel isolated and lonely that increase stress and anxiety. Community service activities are one of the efforts that can be taken to empower family members to carry out simple therapy in reducing anxiety. This community service will focus on the mother who has a big influence on managing the family. This community service aimed to educate the mother’s group to help their family in improving knowledge and skill of emergency psychiatric prevention. This activity was divided into two main parts, a seminar about health education about Psychiatric Emergency and ran a workshop in the art therapy group. These community service results showed that health education can improve knowledge related to emergency psychiatric, and mothers could implement art drawing therapy as an effort of psychiatric emergency prevention. In conclusion, Art group therapy is recommended for the mother and her family to prevent the emergency psychiatric condition.

The Effects of Solution-focused Group Art Therapy on Self-esteem and Sociality for Children of Low-income Single-parent Families

본 연구의 목적은 해결중심 집단미술치료가 저소득 한부모가족 아동의 자아존중감과 사회성에 미치는 영향을 살펴보는데 있다. 이를 위해 초등학교 5-6학년 저소득 한부모가족 아동 10명을 선정하였고 실험집단과 비교집단에 각 5명씩 무선 배치 하여 각각 매주 1회 90분씩, 총 10회기 진행하였다. 연구 결과 첫째, 해결중심 집단미술치료가 저소득 한부모가족 아동의 자아존중감과 사회성 향상에 긍정적 영향을 미친 것으로 나타났다. 둘째, 해결중심 집단미술치료 프로그램에 참여한 실험집 단이 집단미술치료 프로그램에 참여한 비교집단에 비해 더 향상된 결과를 보였다. 본 연구는 해결중심목표를 집단구성원들과 협의 하에 설정, 공통과제와 개별과제로 세분화, 기적그림 등의 해결중심 미술활동 개입으로 기존 집단미술치료의 효과성을 뛰어넘는 결과를 도출하였다는 점에서 의미가 있다. 따라서 해결중심 집단미술치료가 학교 및 기관에서 저소득 한부모가족 아동을 위한 효과적인 단기치료 프로그램으로 활용되길 기대한다.

The Effect of Group Art Therapy on Loneliness and Hopelessness Levels of Older Adults Living Alone: A Randomized Controlled Study.

AimThis study was aimed to test group art therapy using clay as a medium as a method to cope with feelings of loneliness and hopelessness in older adults.MethodThis study was a randomized controlled study. A total of 60 older adults who lived alone were enrolled in the study. Thirty subjects were randomly assigned to six 1.5-hour weekly sessions of group art therapy using clay, and interviewed face-to-face twice (intervention group (IG)), and 30 subjects were randomly assigned to be interviewed face-to-face twice (control group (CG)). The effects of interventions were measured using the UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLA-LS) and the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS). Loneliness and hopelessness levels in the IG and CG were measured at the beginning (pre-test) and the end (post-test) of the study. This study was conducted using the CONSORT statement. The group art therapy trial is registered at the US National Institutes of Health (ClinicalTrials.gov) #NCT04295083.ResultsA statistically significant difference was found between the pre-test and post-test scores of the IG and CG, with respect to the loneliness and hopelessness levels among older adults living alone. ConclusionClay-based group art therapy can contribute toward decreasing the sense of loneliness and hopelessness in older adults. Nurses using group art therapy for older adults will realize the psychological healing aspects and effectiveness of this intervention and recognize it as an effective method for the psychological growth of older adults and the reduction in their levels of loneliness and hopelessness.

The effects of group art therapy on adolescents' self-concept and peer relationship: A mixed-method study.

This study examined the effects of group art therapy on self-concept and peer relationships among adolescents using a mixed-method approach. Twelve recruited adolescents from a high school in Northern Taiwan attended weekly 2-h group art therapy sessions for 8weeks. Through a discovery-oriented approach incorporating focus group interviews and individual interviews, qualitative results revealed that the participants started getting to know themselves better and were able to explore their inner selves while noticing their own emotions. Their self-concept also became more positive along with reduced negative self-concept, increased positive self-concept, and clearer visions towards future goals. Furthermore, the therapy modified adolescents' negative peer relationships by reducing their social anxiety and adjusting their complicated experiences. Participants were found to experience trustable, allied, and compassionate positive peer relationships while having reduced loneliness and improved social skills at the same time. Besides, the participants answered self-concept and peer relationship scales at pre- and post-interventions as well as a 12-month follow-up thereafter. Friedman test on the longitudinal data showed participants reporting consistently higher self-concept and peer relationship at post-intervention and 12-month follow-up than at the pre-intervention stage. Taken together, the findings duly support art therapy in boosting adolescents' self-concept and peer relationships.

Creating doorways: finding meaning and growth through art therapy in the face of life-threatening illness

ObjectivesThis article presents the findings of a pilot study situated in a tertiary care cancer centre and examines the impact of an art therapy group on the experiences of women living through breast cancer. Study designThe study design used in this study is a qualitative cross-case comparative case. MethodsTen women were interviewed about their experiences making art, many for the first time. Interviews were transcribed and analysed, along with the participants’ artist statements. ResultsCategories include the following: the significant benefits of art therapy on their sense of self-efficacy; the emotionally enhancing nature of making art for the first time; the power of their artwork to trigger insights about themselves (including subcategories of self-actualization, existential growth, and post-traumatic growth) or in communicating their experiences to loved ones; and how making art changed their worldview and life philosophies, creating doorways of possibilities. ConclusionThis study suggests that art therapy provides a safe context to reflect on profound personal changes and to re-story losses following adversity through creative practices as a dimension of care.

Contents Analysis of Activities on Group Art Therapy Programs to Improve the Self-Esteem of Elementary School Students

Contents Analysis of Activities on Group Art Therapy Programs to Improve the Self-Esteem of Elementary School Students

Trauma Treatment through Art Therapy (TT-AT): a ‘women and trauma’ group in Tanzania

ABSTRACT Background In low–middle income countries the number of patients suffering from PTSD (from adult onset trauma) and from complex-PTSD (who have suffered from childhood emotional, physical and sexual abuse, deprivation and domestic violence) is high, but there is a shortage of clinical psychologists. The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS) has recommended the development of innovative interventions. Context At Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, a number of mental health professionals have been trained in providing Art Therapy as an ‘additional skill’ within their respective professions. In the Department of Psychiatry we have developed a protocol for a short-term Trauma Treatment with Art Therapy (TT-AT). Approach Our intervention is focused on the six patients’ needs outlined by ISTSS in the following areas: Emotion Regulation; Relationships; Self-Identity; Gradual Exposure to Trauma; Integration of Trauma; Personal Resources. We have developed six Art Therapy workshops aimed to address each one of these needs. The approach is supportive and non-interpretative. Outcomes The intervention was developed at Muhimbili National Hospital with a ‘Women’s Group’ of four patients, who had experienced different types of trauma. All patients attended regularly and reported improvements to their trauma symptoms. Conclusion This short-term art therapy intervention was useful with this population, and may be applicable to patients who suffer from a broad range of traumatic experience. Implication for research The protocol is described in detail, and can easily be replicated for clinical purposes and research. Plain-language summary There is a need for innovative interventions in the field of trauma, especially when the trauma was experienced during childhood (loss, abuse, deprivation and domestic violence). The task force of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies have encouraged the development of innovative interventions, recommending that new interventions are focused on patients’ needs rather than on trauma exposure, and should include emotional strengthening interventions. Six psychological needs were outlined by the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies in the following areas: emotion regulation; relationships; self-identity/self-esteem; gradual exposure to the trauma; integration of the trauma in one’s life; and personal resources. At Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, we developed a Group Art Therapy intervention protocol, which was based on six art therapy workshops, plus time for free art making. The intervention was carried out with a group of four female patients who had all experienced different types of trauma, and began with three strengthening workshops: Filling the body outline, to facilitate the safe expression of emotions; A memory of a positive relationship in childhood, to remember positive relationships; and The fantasy of a tree growing in the desert, to cultivate feelings of hope. The next two workshops were focused on a gradual exposure to the trauma, these included: The fantasy of a traumatised child; and The life-line, to integrate positive and negative memories. The final workshop was devoted to strengthening the awareness of personal resources. The four patients all attended regularly and reported improvements to their trauma symptoms at the end of the intervention.

The Effect of Group Art Therapy on Self-esteem and Stress-coping Skills of School Maladjusted College Students

본 연구는 집단미술치료가 학교부적응 대학생의 자아존중감과 스트레스 대처능력에 미치는 효과를 살펴보고자하였다. 연구대상은 D시에 위치한 S대학교 대학생으로 학교부적응 문제가 있는 대학생 14명을 선별하여 실험집단및 통제집단에 각각 7명씩 무선배치 하였다. 집단미술치료는 주 2회, 1회기 90분씩 총 10회기를 실시하였으며, 집단미술치료의 효과성 검정을 위해 자아존중감과 스트레스 대처능력 척도를 사용하였다. 연구결과의 자료 분석을위해 비모수 통계법인 Mann-Whitney U 검정과 Wilcoxon 부호 순위 검정 분석법을 사용하였다. 본 연구의 결과는 첫째, 집단미술치료가 학교부적응 대학생의 자아존중감을 유의미하게 상승시켰다. 둘째, 집단미술치료가 학교부적응 대학생의 스트레스 대처능력을 유의미하게 상승시켰다. 따라서, 집단미술치료가 학교부적응 대학생의 자아존중감과 스트레스 대처능력 향상에 효과적이었으며, 집단미술치료를 통해 학교부적응 대학생들의 학교적응에 도움이 될 수 있는 기초자료로 활용될 수 있기를 기대한다.

Art psychotherapy and public health

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to explore the role of art psychotherapy as a biopsychosocial approach to bodymind medicine in ameliorating the effects of psychophysical stress among people with non-metastatic cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM), post-surgical resection. Study designMixed methods. MethodsThis study followed a mixed-methods research design, utilising qualitative data gained from a 6-month weekly group art therapy intervention, including both the images made and explored during the 3-h sessions and the accompanying narratives. The narratives were the subject of thematic analysis. The quantitative data arose from ELISA assays for secretory immunoglobulin A (S-IgA) and secretory interferon-γ (S-IFN- γ), DTH (PPD) tests were delivered at timepoints t0, t1, t5, t13, t24 and t52, and questionnaires were delivered at t0, t24 and t52: MAC, HAD, COPE & EORTC-QLQ-C-30. ResultsThe findings of this study included themes of ‘otherness’ and ‘isolation’, which also preceded diagnosis, and an upward trend in S-IgA, which continued over time. ConclusionsThis study found that art psychotherapy promotes enhanced immunological function, coping skills and interpersonal relations. Positive psychoneuroimmunological change can result from group art psychotherapy, facilitating integration of psychological content in a supportive and interactive environment, which improves quality of life, thereby reducing the public health burden.

A Qualitative Case Study on Group Art Therapy for Internet Overdependence Middle School Students

본 연구의 목적은 인터넷 과의존 중학생이 집단미술치료에서 어떠한 경험을 하는지 알아보는데 있다. 이를 위하여 경기 A, B 중학교에서 11회기 집단미술치료를 경험한 인터넷 과의존 중학생 12명을 참여자로 선정하였고, 질적 사례연구방법을 적용하여 연구하였다. 집단미술치료는 A학교 2019년 4월부터 7월까지, B학교 2019년 11월부터 2020년 1월까지 주 1-2회, 회기 당 90분 씩 총 11회로 진행되었다. 연구자는 11회기 종결 후 일주일 뒤에 참여자에게 1회 사후 인터뷰를 진행하였다. Glaser와 Strauss(1967)의 반복적 비교 분석 방법에 근거하여 총 5개의 상위범주와 총 14개의 하위범주로 분류되었다. 집단미술치료 경험의 상위범주는 <집단미술치료 회기에 점진적으로 적응함>, <집단미술치료를 통해 미술에 대한 인식이 변화됨>, <나의 모습과 감정을 마주함>, <연구자와 참여자간 소통을 통해 관계망이 확장됨>, <다각적인 자신의 모습을 수용함>이다. 본 연구는 기존의 인터넷 중독 청소년을 대상으로 한 집단미술치료 효과성 연구의 한계점을 보완하여 참여자들의 주관적인 집단미술치료 경험을 다루고 점진적인 변화과정을 이해할 수 있다는 점에서 의의가 있다.The purpose of this study is to find what Internet-dependent middle school students experience in group art therapy. For this purpose, 12 Internet-dependent middle school students were selected as participants who experienced the 11 rounds of group art therapy at A and B middle schools in Gyeonggi-do and the qualitative case study method was applied. Group art therapy sessions were held from April to July 2019 at school A and from November 2019 to January 2020 at school B, for a total of 11 sessions, 90 minutes per session. The researcher conducted one post-interview with the participants a week after the end of the 11th session. Based on Glaser and Strauss (1967), it was classified into a total of five upper categories and a total of 14 sub-categories. The top categories of group art therapy experiences are Gradually Adapted to the Session of Group Art Therapy , Perceptions on Art Change through Group Art Therapy , Facing Myself and Emotions , The Network of Relationships Expands through Communication between Researchers and Participants , and Accepting Multi-dimensional Being of Me . This study is significant in that it can address participants subjective group art therapy experiences and understand the progressive process of change by supplementing the limitations of existing group art therapy effectiveness studies with teenagers with Internet addiction.

집단미술치료 프로그램이 초등학생의 주의집중력 향상에 미치는 영향 : 종이접기와 클레이아트 활동을 중심으로

This study was conducted to examine whether a group art therapy program centered on origami and clay art activities&#x0D; had an effect on the improvement of attention in elementary school students. First, as a result of performing&#x0D; paired t-test after applying the group art therapy program, there was a significant difference between the pre-score and the post-score of attention in the experimental group and the control group. This indicates that attention is improved compared to before application of the program. As a result of applying ANCOVA to examine the pure effect of the group art therapy program, the attention of the experimental group was significantly improved compared to the control group. This result means that the group art therapy program applied in this study has a positive effect on improving the attention of elementary school students. Therefore, in the field of education and counseling, it is necessary to activate various group art therapy programs that help improve the attention of elementary school students. In particular, in the education of elementary school teachers, group art therapy education centered on origami and clay art activities that help improve children s attention should be expanded.

Compelling images: a contribution to the theory of aesthetic countertransference

In this paper, I describe my experience of the aesthetic countertransference in relation to one patient’s artwork in an Art Therapy group as part of a Therapeutic Community for people with a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder within the NHS. The paper discusses how my practice became informed by Mentalization-Based Treatment which places a strong emphasis on clarifying intentional mental states. However, when looking at the artwork I encountered a situation whereby I could not easily put the experience into words. I provide a description of the patient’s overall trajectory within the treatment model, her progress in the Art Therapy group itself, and present a hypothesis for the function of the artwork which the patient produced. I draw upon a model of art therapy I have previously devised combining art psychotherapy theory, art critical theory, mentalization (MBT) and psychoanalytic theory. Drawing on Grotstein’s notion of formulations in the ‘Kleinian-Bionian mode’ I go on to elaborate my concept of the ‘art-psychotherapy object’ being the totality of the triangular relationship (creator/artwork/viewer), in itself unknowable, but the derivatives of which can be understood through the paradigm of transference-countertransference-projective (trans)identification-reverie, and used to explore the dimensions of its planes.

I know what I like, and I like what I know: Patient preferences and expectations when choosing an arts therapies group

Patient preferences deserve consideration as they play a role in engagement with psychosocial interventions. This study sought to understand more about preferences and expectations of the arts therapies, in order to support informed decision-making.Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 participants in a trial of group music therapy, art therapy and dance-movement therapy. Audio recordings were transcribed. Data relating to the process of choosing their preferred arts therapies groups, expectations and experiences of the groups were analysed using framework analysis.Three overarching themes were found relating to the experience of choosing an arts therapies group and subsequently attending it: past experiences of the art forms, social interactions in the groups and expectations of helpfulness. Familiarity and perceived capability were important factors for the therapy experiences.Although each participant had a unique decision-making process, the themes offer understanding of common considerations when making a choice about engagement with the arts therapies. Clinicians should guide discussions around past experiences of the art forms, group dynamics and therapy aims during shared decision making for the arts therapies.

Emotional Creativity in Art Education: An Exploratory Analysis and Research Trends.

The emotions that human beings experience have a key role in the environments in which they operate. In art education, creative processes are influenced by the emotions and experiences lived by the individual, enabling a more emotional and creative design to make life more pleasant. The aim was to examine the research during the period 1917–2020 on the development of emotional creativity in art education. Mathematical and statistical techniques were applied to 984 articles carried from Elsevier’s Scopus database. The findings yielded data on the scientific productivity of the journal, authors, research institutions, and countries/territories that promoted this field. The data showed an exponential trend, mostly in the last decade. Five lines of research stand out: emotion, higher education, education, art, and leadership. Moreover, five future research directions related to visual art education, affective paradigm, metacompetency, expressive arts therapy group, and cognitive empathy were detected. This study establishes the link between psychology, neuroscience, and artistic education to constitute the decision-making of the promoters of this topic of research. The analysis of international research allowed us to focus the future publications of academics and researchers, in addition to guaranteeing an adequate approach to the objectives of the institutions and funding centers.

Effects of Nature-Based Group Art Therapy Programs on Stress, Self-Esteem and Changes in Electroencephalogram (EEG) in Non-Disabled Siblings of Children with Disabilities

The purpose of the present study was to examine changes in brain waves, stress, and self-esteem after a continuous eight-week nature-based art therapy program in the forest in non-disabled siblings of children with disabilities. A total of 29 participants participated in this study (art therapy program group, n = 18; control group, n = 11). The art therapy program group received eight weekly sessions of art therapy lasting 60 min each. Pre- and post-test results showed positive changes in the brain function index and stress levels of the participants in the art therapy program group. On the self-esteem scale, overall and social self-esteem increased significantly. In conclusion, creative activities in the forest can increase resistance to diseases through mechanisms that relieve stress and increase self-esteem. If art therapy that emphasizes somatosensory experience, creative expression, and self-motivation is accompanied by forest activities, this combined intervention can elicit positive physical and psychological changes.

Art Therapy as a Support for Women Hospitalized on an Antepartum Unit

Women hospitalized on an antepartum unit can benefit from an open studio art therapy group. A case description follows six women over five group sessions. Several common experiences that occurred throughout the sessions included isolation/boredom, uncertainty, lack of control, and family. Art therapy in a group setting allowed the women to express their fears and anxieties and gain support from other women experiencing similar situations.