A pilot study to determine the psychological effects of manipulation of therapeutic art forms among patients with Parkinson's disease

Abstract

This pilot study investigated the effects of group process and manipulation of therapeutic art forms among patients with Parkinson's disease. It follows the earlier work demonstrating art therapy's positive effects on quality of life with patients diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. It is hypothesised that engagement in a six-week case control study involving art therapy for patients diagnosed with Parkinson's disease will decrease symptomology in areas of obsessive compulsive thinking, phobia, depression and stress. A licensed psychologist and a licensed and credentialed art therapist led this six-week case control study involving seven male participants diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. The group met weekly and had a focused discussion around a selected topic. Each was asked to then engage and manipulate different forms of clay in response to the weekly topic. Participants were assessed pre and post, at specific times, for symptomology in the areas of depression, obsessive compulsive thinking, phobia and stress. The results suggest that verbal discussion and art therapy intervention increased the participants' ability to explore and enhance their emotions individually and within a group, leading to a decrease in symptomology in areas of obsessive compulsive thinking, phobia, depression and stress.

Keywords:

• Parkinson's disease
• clay manipulation
• art therapy
• symptomology
• stress
• group therapy

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Deborah L. Elkis-Abuhoff

Deborah Elkis-Abuhoff, PhD, LCAT, ATR-BC, ATCS, BCPC is an associate professor in the Creative Arts Therapy program at Hofstra University, New York, USA. She holds both psychology and creative arts therapy licenses in New York State, and is a registered and board-certified art therapist, certified supervisor and board-certified professional counselor. Her research combines behavioral medicine and art therapy, and includes clay manipulation with Parkinson's disease, as well as bringing art therapy into chemotherapy treatment.

Robert B. Goldblatt

Robert Goldblatt, PhD has been a clinical psychologist for over 35 years and a college professor at the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine where he has provided clinical services, taught and done research in the area of behavioral medicine. His research interests include the areas of art therapy and its relationship to medicine in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and cancer.

Morgan Gaydos

Morgan Gaydos, LCAT, ATR, currently works as an art therapist on a forensic/behavioral psychiatric unit. Her experience also includes working with individuals with developmental delays and those with chemical dependency, as well as conducting current research bringing art therapy to medical patients.

Caitlin Convery

Caitlin Convery, BA, is a graduate student in the Creative Arts Therapy program at Hofstra University, New York, USA. She has been a research assistant for the past two years, and is actively involved in the area of art therapy and behavioral medicine. She has presented in the USA and published internationally.