Resources
Affiliated Accreditation Bodies
European Federation of Art Therapy
Ecopsychology and Ecotherapy Association of Ireland
Irish Association of Creative Arts Therapists
The British Association of Art Therapists
Research
The Arts in Health and Wellbeing
Exploring the role and impact of visual art groups with multiple stakeholders in recovery-oriented mental health services.
Tríona McCaffrey a, *, Paula Higgins b, Heidi Morrison c, Siobhan Nelligan a, Aoife Clancy a, Pui Sze Cheung a, Sinead Moloney d
This arts-based study explored the role and impact of visual art in supporting collaborative working between service users and staff in a recovery-oriented mental health service in Ireland. A total of two service users and five staff members took part in three visual art focus groups led by a qualified art therapist. Afterwards, service user and staff experiences of focus group participation was investigated through individual semi-structured interviews that were analysed using Thematic Content Analysis. Three original artworks were created in three focus groups, each of which represented how stakeholders wished their recovery-oriented service to develop in future. Analysis of interviews describing experiences of working with fellow mental health stakeholders in the focus groups revealed five common themes including: ‘Group art-marking engenders collaboration’, ‘The physicality of being in the art-making space evokes sensory experience’, ‘Group art-making can offer a sense of liberation’, ‘Group art-making raises questions about self-revelation’ and ‘Group art-making enables an atmosphere of equity’. Findings suggest that when facilitated by an art therapist, group visual art making can offer stakeholders a creative, liberating and equitable environment that can foster the concept of co-production that is foundational to effective recovery-oriented working in mental health.
Link to paper
The effectiveness of art therapy in the treatment of traumatised adults: a systematic review on art therapy and trauma.
Karin Alice Schouten, Gerrit J de Niet, Jeroen W Knipscheer, Rolf J Kleber, Giel J M Hutschemaekers
Art therapy has often been applied in the treatment of traumatised adults, and good results in clinical practice have been reported. However, although art therapy experts underline these benefits, the effectiveness of art therapy in trauma treatment has not been established by systematic review. The aim of this systematic review is to identify and evaluate empirical evidence of the effectiveness of art therapy for trauma treatment. As a result of the systematic review, six controlled, comparative studies on art therapy for trauma in adult patients were found. In half of the included studies, a significant decrease in psychological trauma symptoms was found in the treatment groups, and one study reported a significant decrease in depression. Although there are limitations in the number of included studies, the number of participants, the heterogeneity of included studies, and their methodological quality, the results contribute to insight into the effectiveness of art therapy in trauma treatment and form an evidence base for the urgent need for further research on art therapy and trauma treatment.
Link to paper
Reduction of Cortisol Levels and Participants' Responses Following Art Making.
Girija Kaimal, Kendra Ray, and Juan Muniz
This quasi-experimental study investigated the impact of visual art making on the cortisol levels of 39 healthy adults. Participants provided saliva samples to assess cortisol levels before and after 45 minutes of art making. Participants also provided written responses about the experience at the end of the session. Results indicate that art making resulted in statistically significant lowering of cortisol levels. Participants' written responses indicated that they found the art-making session to be relaxing, enjoyable, helpful for learning about new aspects of self, freeing from constraints, an evolving process of initial struggle to later resolution, and about flow/losing themselves in the work. They also reflected that the session evoked a desire to make art in the future. There were weak associations between changes in cortisol level and age, time of day, and participant responses related to learning about one's self and references to an evolving process in art making. There were no significant differences in outcomes based on prior experiences with art making, media choice, or gender.
Link to paper
Exploring the role and impact of group songwriting with multiple stakeholders in recovery-oriented mental health services
Tríona McCaffrey,Paula Higgins, Clara Monahan,Sinéad Moloney, Siobhán Nelligan, Aoife Clancy & show all Pages 41-60 | Received 20 Aug 2019, Accepted 26 Apr 2020, Published online: 13 Jun 2020
ABSTRACT
Introduction
At the heart of successful operational transformation to recovery-oriented mental health services is the establishment of meaningful, respectful and equitable relationships between multiple “stakeholders” including service users, providers and carers. Group songwriting has a possible role to play in fostering such relationships as it offers opportunities to practice core life skills, adopt new roles, and, encourages respect for the perspectives of others.
Method
This study explored the potential role and impact of group songwriting in recovery-oriented mental health services. A total of eight service users and one staff member took part in three song-writing focus groups led by a qualified music therapist. Afterwards, semi-structured individual interviews were carried out to explore participants’ personal experiences of focus group participation. Interview transcripts were analysed using Thematic Content Analysis.
Results
Three original songs were composed in three focus groups. The lyrics reflected themes including (a) mental health service growth, (b) empowerment and freedom during music engagement and (c) empathy for others. Analysis of nine interviews revealed four themes including: “Group songwriting breaks down barriers in ways that help to promote equality,” “Group songwriting offered new perspectives,” “Group songwriting can expose perceived vulnerabilities” and, “Group songwriting may be approached with knowledge of music’s capacity to promote well-being.”
Discussion
Findings suggest that group songwriting offers stakeholders a meaningful, reciprocal and equitable space that can foster the concept of co-production that is foundational to effective recovery-oriented working in mental health.
Nature and Wellbeing
Nature and mental health: An ecosystem service perspective.
Gregory N. Bratman, Christopher B, Marc G Berman, Bobby Corhran, Sjerp de Vries
A growing body of empirical evidence is revealing the value of nature experience for mental health. With rapid urbanization and declines in human contact with nature globally, crucial decisions must be made about how to preserve and enhance opportunities for nature experience. Here, we first provide points of consensus across the natural, social, and health sciences on the impacts of nature experience on cognitive functioning, emotional well-being, and other dimensions of mental health. We then show how ecosystem service assessments can be expanded to include mental health, and provide a heuristic, conceptual model for doing so.
Link to paper
The impacts of nature experience on human cognitive function and mental health.
Gregory N. Bratman, J. Paul Hamilton and Gretchen C
Scholars spanning a variety of disciplines have studied the ways in which contact with natural environments may impact human well-being. We review the effects of such nature experience on human cognitive function and mental health, synthesising work from environmental psychology, urban planning, the medical literature, and landscape aesthetics. We provide an overview of the prevailing explanatory theories of these effects, the ways in which exposure to nature has been considered, and the role that individuals’ preferences for nature may play in the impact of the environment on psychological functioning. Drawing from the highly productive but disparate programs of research in this area, we conclude by proposing a system of categorisation for different types of nature experience. We also outline key questions for future work, including further inquiry into which elements of the natural environment may have impacts on cognitive function and mental health; what the most effective type, duration, and frequency of contact may be; and what the possible neural mechanisms are that could be responsible for the documented effects.