Arts in Psychotherapy最新文献

This study’s goal was to examine the retrospective reflections of seven art therapists and four art therapy students (n = 11) who facilitated community-based art therapy projects during their professional training. This exploratory qualitative study was based on participants’ verbal and art-based responses to questions about their experiences. Data included semi-structured interviews of participants and their artwork; data analysis integrated both thematic and phenomenological approaches. Four central themes emerged: a) An experience of uncertainty and the need to cope with the challenges posed by the community setting; b) Identification of factors that can facilitate the implementation of a community-based project; c) Identification of the therapeutic aspects of community action; and d) Development of social community awareness as part of their professional identity. The discussion deals with the experiences of the art-therapy students and graduates in public sphere, in terms of the challenges they encountered and the unique ways they chose to overcome them. Conclusions address the development of community awareness and a broader inclusive professional identity. We also present study limitations and recommendations for future research.

Gender-based violence is a pervasive phenomenon to be prevented. This study presents the findings of an intermodal psychodrama intervention aimed at counteracting the risk of future violent behaviour. Six prisoners who committed or tried to commit femicide participated in 10 psychodrama sessions in prison. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the sessions’ transcripts and interviews. Four themes were found: (1) participants’ preliminary motivation, (2) positive and critical aspects of the intervention, (3) personal and relational changes, and (4) reflections on gender roles. The project increased participants’ well-being and led them to new reflections on themselves, others and their relationship with women.

Older adults and people living with dementia experienced high degrees of social isolation and reduced access to support during the recent COVID-19 pandemic. However, worldwide, including amongst people living with dementia and their caregivers, musical engagement provided some relief and social connection. This study examines the feasibility of transforming a personalised playlist program for people living with dementia for online delivery. A mixed methods approach was taken in which quantitative data (facial action unit activation) and qualitative data (interviews) were collected from 5 people with dementia and their caregivers. Interviews were also conducted with 5 music therapy students undergoing clinical placements who participated in the study as program facilitators. Results demonstrated the feasibility of delivery of online music playlist programs for supporting people living with dementia living in isolation. Caregivers reported increased understanding about how to use music in targeted ways to support mood and behaviour. Despite the limitations of the online format, facial action unit activation suggested that people with dementia experienced increased enjoyment when listening to energising playlists, confirming the feasibility of this as an outcome measure. However, increased challenges to developing a rapport with clients in the online context were highlighted.

The use of music in psychotherapeutic treatment is typically thought of as a recent practice whose roots are incorrectly attributed to ancient Greek and European medicine. The present article provides an overview of Ottoman music therapy (OMT) for the mentally ill, which was examined in relation to pre-modern European medical understanding and also modern music therapy. We argue that the systematic and pragmatic use of music for the medical treatment of the mentally ill in Ottoman hospitals provided a state-of-the-art model whose relevance is still palpable today. Moreover, OMT offers an example of the exceptional contributions advanced by the Islamic civilization in regards to music therapy. In the Muslim world, music was prescribed and used for medicinal, psychiatric purposes centuries before it gained traction in the Western medical field. Appreciation of the Ottoman model — advanced even by modern standards — is essential not only in accurately understanding the historical origins of music therapy but also to enhance its current-day practice. We also discuss the likelihood of knowledge transmission between Ottoman and European medical traditions and the possibility that OMT might have influenced the use of music therapy for psychiatric disorders in European medical institutions centuries later.

Psychosis is often a debilitating condition that has a dramatic impact on patients' lives. Medication is an integral part of treatment, but the need for complementary therapies has been recognised. One of these is art therapy, the benefits of which have been recognised by many researchers. However, as a relatively new treatment, especially in Greece, it needs to be further investigated if and how it can claim a place among the available therapies in psychosis. The mixed quasi-experimental pilot study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of art therapy in patients with psychosis. Nine patients with DSM-5 diagnoses of schizophrenia or other mental disorders (bipolar disorder, major depression, anorexia nervosa, mental retardation, obsessive-compulsive disorder) with psychotic symptoms participated in a 9-month art therapy intervention through 15–24 sessions at the day hospital of Eginition Hospital as part of their treatment plan. Assessments were made at baseline and week 23 of the intervention to evaluate the effect of the intervention on reducing psychiatric symptom intensity, improving interpersonal responsiveness/empathy, and functional performance on weighted scale projects. Quantitative research results showed that the art therapy group improved interpersonal responsiveness/empathy and task performance in psychiatric patients, but had no statistically significant effect on reducing the severity of patients' psychiatric symptoms. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.

Body-image disturbance, a dominant eating disorder (ED) symptom, causes people to experience their body as a battlefield. The torso—the human trunk from the neck to the groin but excluding the limbs—represents the absence of fundamental human qualities and capabilities. Thus, it can evoke contradictory emotions strongly related to the core psychodynamic contents of EDs. Due to their body-related disturbances and significant difficulty identifying and verbalizing emotions, people with EDs can benefit from working creatively with torsi in art therapy. This article presents the author’s observations of commonalities in the art torsi of people with ED and their potential clinical implications. Specifically, the author observed striking similarities in how people with EDs create art using Styrofoam torsi: (1) common working patterns, (2) marking the neck and belt areas, (3) representing sensitive body parts, and (4) neglecting the back of the torso. These shared characteristics can be traced to the ED’s emotional impact on the person and the underlying factors contributing to its development. Working creatively with torsi in art therapy as a stage to explore and process inner experiences, emotional vulnerabilities, defense mechanisms, body- and self-image-related issues, and other psychological themes embedded in EDs are discussed.

The effectiveness of poetry in promoting emotional healing and self-discovery has become exemplified by the burgeoning field of poetry therapy. This article seeks to synthesize existing research in poetry therapy with effective therapeutic techniques by delving into the potential of Dadaism as a framework for poetry therapy. Because Dadaism emerged as a literary and artistic movement that arose from the state of mental tension, chaos and trauma, I argue that through a comprehensive examination of the historical and artistic contexts of the movement, as well as its key themes and techniques, therapists can facilitate exploration of sensitive and taboo subjects in a non-threatening and safe manner. By employing the techniques present in Dadaist poetry, this article illustrates how the movement can aid in the expression and processing of intense emotions, challenge the validity of prevailing narratives, and engender novel perspectives. Ultimately, this article asserts that Dadaism offers a valuable lens for more exploration of its use in poetry therapy to further advance this nascent field.

A growing number of people in the criminal justice system require mental health care. At the same time, in the UK at least, gaining access to forensic mental health services is becoming increasingly difficult. Dramatherapy, which may be a useful treatment in forensic settings, such as prisons and secure hospitals, has not before been systematically reviewed in this context. Seven databases and 10 journals were searched for all available literature. From 6724 sources, 12 papers were suitable for inclusion. Data relating to participant and intervention characteristics, methods used to measure effect, and qualitative and quantitative effects were extracted. Quantitative data were used to calculate effect sizes (Cohen’s d) and qualitative data were subjected to content analysis. Varied participant and intervention characteristics suggest flexibility in provision, however, forensic dramatherapy was most often delivered in the UK (33%) to groups (66%) of male (75%) adults with personality disorder (42%). Effects were measured both qualitatively and quantitatively; the use of quantitative outcome measures (42%) and the collection of participant feedback (42%) were most popular. Effect sizes ranged from d = 0.01 to d = 1.25. Large effects were seen with regards to reduced anger and increased emotional activation, however, studies were often uncontrolled. Qualitative results suggest that participants experienced new ways of being, were able to express themselves and felt supported by the group or therapist. The quantitative and qualitative results of forensic dramatherapy suggest promise, however, the evidence base is currently small. Further, methodologically strong research is encouraged.

Referring to profound, deeply felt and embodied states of oneness, experiences of attunement are foundational to healthy human development. In clinical practice, these experiences promote therapeutic alliance and support healing, particularly in the context of relational wounding. Occurring through a process of ‘tuning in,’ attuned states contribute to the development of relationally based and embodied knowledge and may be facilitated through group arts-based experiences. Within this exploration of attunement, master’s level clinicians-in-training engaged in an improvisational group drumming intervention. Drawing on a synthesis of knowledge from diverse fields, multimodal forms of measurement, including perceptual, behavioral, and physiological, were utilized to elucidate and contextualize an occurrence of attunement. Findings shed light on the phenomenon of attunement, its relevance to the education of mental health practitioners and arts-based therapies, and how it may be facilitated to promote effective clinical practice. Use of advanced motion capture and physiological monitoring technologies opens doors for future research focused on the interpersonal nature and benefits of arts-based interventions.

This qualitative pilot study investigated the drawing experiences of five adolescent participants to examine virtual reality (VR) as an expressive tool for art therapy for trauma-exposed youth. The participants drew their safe space with traditional art materials (TAM) and then replicated it three-dimensionally utilizing the Oculus Quest for VR artmaking. A phenomenological comparison approach allowed the researcher to explore the data collected through thematic analysis. The investigator presents five themes as the result of five transcribed and coded semi-structured interviews: lack of knowledge/confidence, novelty, empowerment, multisensory, and an unexpected finding of gender-switching to avoid cyberbullying. The results of this pilot study suggest that VR fostered the adolescents’ participation while empowering them to express thoughts, actions, and emotions in nontraditional forms.