Art therapy: Quo vadis?

The purpose of the paper is to provide a broad and firm theoretical framework for comprehending and evaluating the process and effects of art therapy. The theoretical basis is provided by the theory of cognitive orientation. This theory distinguishes between processes involved in determining the directionality of behavior and those involved in the programming and control of the behavioral output. This distinction forms the basis for defining and integrating the major effects of various psychotherapeutic systems: cognitive, emotional, and actional enrichment. The contributions of art therapy in each of these three respects are described from the viewpoints of creativity and of experiencing art and are compared with those of other therapeutic systems. Also the relations of art therapy to art education and art appreciation are discussed