Examination of the changes that take place during an art therapy intervention

Abstract

Three Cambridge based art therapists, in collaboration with a clinical psychologist, designed this research to examine if change can be measured in art therapy with adults with moderate/severe learning disabilities. The aim was to gather objective information about changes in the client that correlate with the therapist's clinical opinion. The quantitative data was gathered by videoing the art therapy sessions every two months over the first year of therapy for three individual clients. The researchers created the POSER 2001, a measurement tool that allowed profiles of the client, therapist and their interactions to be generated from the videoed sessions. Psychologists independently rated these videos. Changes recorded by the POSER 2001 were then related to the three case studies written by each therapist, from the clients case notes, at the end of the data collection period. The results indicate that change can be measured within art therapy sessions without detriment to the therapeutic process and show the potential to collect qualitative and quantitative data, which together illustrate important aspects of the therapeutic process.

Keywords:

• Research
• consent
• learning disability
• quantitative/qualitative measures
• video

We would like to acknowledge with thanks the contributions of Diane Simcoe, art therapist who was involved in the initial stages of this research, and psychologists Kaaren Knight and Frances Marshall, who contributed their energy, time and expertise.