Art Intervention in Group Settings: A Course Model for Social Work Students

ABSTRACT

This article presents evaluation of a course developed for training social work students in using art intervention activities in a group setting. The course components included didactic learning, experiential learning, personal and interpersonal observation, and reflection. The goal of the course was to enhance students’ skills as providers of a safe space using art intervention with diverse populations, in their future professional settings. Analysis of the qualitative evidence indicated that the combination of art intervention in a group setting empowered and accelerated interpersonal abilities of social work students and increased their self-efficacy as group facilitators.

KEYWORDS:

• A hall of mirrors
• art intervention
• group work
• intersubjective and intrasubjective processes
• mutual aid
• nonverbal communication