Title: Painting/Drawing Therapy: Effects on reducing anxiety

and stress and increasing self- confidence and

communication skills in Students with Special Needs.
Art therapy in contemporary classrooms is typically
directed toward a small population of students. Art teachers
at elementary, middle and high school levels need to
incorporate art therapy techniques for all the students and
specifically students with special needs. The research
literature supports using expressive painting and drawing as
a direct technique for increasing student confidence,
reducing anxieties and stress associated with classroom
expectations. Students with Special Needs may improve
communication skills and increase self-expression through
this form of therapy. This approach may serve as a bridge for
these students connecting their "inside" feelings to share
with a picture to show "outside" and can help students
communicate through a universal language of images.
Historically many artist represented self expression through
paintings and drawings. Their expressions could not be
explained with only words. (Malchiodi, 2007)
Art therapy has been disregarded for years and seen as
mostly decorative, a form of enjoyment. (Malchiodi, 2007) Art
therapy is more than just decorative. Since Freuds idea of
the subconscious, artists have explored their innermost
thoughts, psychic impulses and impressions; presenting
these processes as art forms.(Malchiodi, 2007) First of all
this kind of therapy can treat many different types of people
of all ages and all backgrounds therefore it is hard to
describe just one example of art therapy. Most experiences
or exposure to art therapy have been with the most common
application for the developmentally disabled population.
A popular trend that happened years ago called
outsider art. This term was coined for art created by
disabled adults.(Wexler, Derby, 2015) You might have even
heard about it being used in clinical situations or in schools.
While art therapy does have some aspects of visual art it
also looks at human development, behavior, personality, and
mental health. There are even differentiating ideas of what
Art therapy is between therapists because each situation is
different and may have different needs depending on
population and facilities.
The driving force behind art therapy is different than a
studio art class in a several ways. An art therapy group could
look like a regular art class but the goal and purpose is
completely different. In an art class you might learn
technique such as shading, drawing and color theory
whereas an art therapy class asks one to explore ones inner
experiences, feelings, and perceptions. In art therapy the
main emphasis is generally developing and expressing
feelings that come from within and not what onesees in the
natural world or outside ones self; more introspection than
external perception. Art therapy was created because of the
tremendous healing power of art and when paired with
therapy it becomes a way to communicate ones feeling in a
way that words cannot. (Isis, Bush, Siegel, Ventura,2010)
With a guidance one can find new understandings, insight
and even solve problems or conflicts applying art therapy. All
these things can lead to positive changes in ones way of
thinking and can result in growth and healing. Although there
are many forms of art therapy and different variations
implemented in society two forms of art therapy are what I
would like to focus on while discussing the term.
The first is Paint talk or expressive painting. A form of
art therapy based on free painting sessions and Drawing
from within the idea of creating drawings of the inner self.
(Carrigan,1994) While there have been a many successful
examples of art therapy being integrated into special ed
curriculum I am focusing on those that have been applied to
special ed population that can benefit all students in any art
curriculum. I believe that these programs should be
generalized to the whole school population and without
much customization would serve the entire student
population. Part of this belief stems from the fact that art is
an equalizing force when it comes to students success
comparing special ed with the general population. Basically if
we are talking about integrating special ed into the social
fabric of a school culture Art helps all the students recognize
skills outside the dominant verbal and writing oriented ones
so prized by todays schools.
My first example is painting therapy called Art Talk used
in Switzerland. This form of art therapy was based on
expressive painting specifically for Special Ed students. Due
to Switzerland's feeling that art therapy was critical Art talk
not only was seen in institutions but was put in break rooms
at business locations where Special needs population were
employed.(Carrigan,1994) Art therapy was viewed as a
preventive mental health measure, as well as an opportunity
for creative and cognitive development. Art talk was
considered painting therapy because it only used tempera
paint on walls in contained rooms of special needs students.
(Carrigan,1994) These rooms had very little in them just wall
space, paint, brushes, maybe a small table where students
can look over their previous paintings and large folders of
students art. All of the facilities were set up the same way
and used painting as the main source of Therapy. Each
studio would allow 4-5 students to paint at the same time
and there would be a support person in the room as an
observer. They were instructed to guide the art work but not
instruct. All of the art therapists that participated in Art Talk
agreed that they did as little talking as possible with the
student during the painting session unless conversation was
started by the student. The students being the agents of how
the therapy went. According to the Swiss theory, it is the art
material that provides a pathway for communication, not the
teacher.(Carrigan,1994) The assigned guide was to observe
patterns and behaviors that could help each individual
discover their own feeling or expressions within their work.
Often repetition of a subject or theme was present in a
student's art work. When a negative painting was created
was when matters of consultation was presented and further
assessment was taken to make sure students were in good
mental health. Viewing the work as an indicator of personal
and internal thought and feeling processes.The idea behind
art talk was simple, it was a safe place for students to create
explore and express themselves through art to prevent
emotional episodes from occurring that were not recognized
and brought out of the student.(Carrigan,1994) A
simplification of this idea is found in the Rorschach test of
Psychotherapy fame. Not a direct correlation but an
influence. According to Swiss educators, participation in
these painting sessions changed behaviors in some of their
hardest-to-reach students. Besides this external change,
teachers observed an artistic development that was a
"strong" and "deep form of expression" (Carrigan, 1993, in
press).
Miami-Dade County Public Schools had a different
model that incorporated creative arts therapy into the school
district itself. Miami-Dade County Public Schools is the fourth
largest school district in the United States and is located in
the southern end of the Florida peninsula. While very diverse
in population it has had a department of art therapy services
in place for over 30 years. It started as a pilot program by
Janet Bush with the intent to support student populations
with autism, children with profound cognitive disabilities,
emotionally disabled children, and children with physical
disabilities. Eventually it became a program of 19 registered
and/or board certified art therapists . It combined art
education and art therapy services. As one can imagine it
had many transformations over the years whose final format
was incorporated in all districts in the area. First, the art
therapists decided on a uniform assessment base measuring
cognitive and emotional development. They used the Levick
Emotional and Cognitive Art Therapy Assessment
(LECATA). This test is a comprehensive analysis of five
drawing tasks with assessment criteria for determining
cognitive scores based on graphic forms and emotional
scores based on the childs use of adaptive or maladaptive
defense mechanisms as revealed in childrens art works.
(Isis, Bush, Siegel, Ventura, 2010). It eventually added The
Silver Drawing Test and Draw A Story. These assessments
use stimulus and response drawings as the primary channel
for receiving and expressing ideas, which assisted educators
in relating measurable cognitive and emotional functioning to
academic performance (Silver, 2007). (Isis, Bush, Siegel,
Ventura, 2010)
Over the years this department used professional
development to unify the art therapy process in the school
district and eventually led to new art therapy techniques,
new ways of assessment, community outreach programs,
and the adaptation of programs depending on schools
changing environment. The Art therapist focused on students
social, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive needs. During
stressful times such as testing season therapist changed
their roles and used art therapy to reduce stress and
maximize self confidence. (Isis, Bush, Siegel, Ventura, 2010)
Some of the ideas presented during this time were to create
images of ones fears and the development of personal
affirmations and their related imagery this type of drawing is
related to drawing from within. Each student needed to be
assessed and referred for the therapy. Once referred this
was integrated into their IEP plan. The program did not stop
there, it went on to collaborate with a local university to
create ARTWORKS!, a cultural support of art as a healing
process for 3 years. This made it possible for students with
special needs to have more accessibility to the community
they lived in as well as participating as an artist. They also
created professional development for mental health
providers, instructional personnel, and art educators who are
asking for guidance in working with inclusive classes and
students with special needs which I see as a very important
contribution. (Isis, Bush, Siegel, Ventura, 2010) As an
educator you must know your students and how to best
support them. With all the efforts and knowledge gained a
new light has started to form about Art therapy. What once
was seen as just a way of creating self-expression now has
grown to a format that can be assessed and implemented
successfully as a system wide improvement. Although this
was challenging it is a very successful model that has had a
very beneficial outcome for Special Ed students. A further
benefit is having hard data to demonstrate the success to
the parent which leads to parents support and involvement.
Locally here in Oakland there is a program called
Creative Growth Art Center which incorporates some of the
same principles but in a setting that is not pure therapy but
community based. An Art therapist Irene Ward Brydon has
been directing The Creative Growth Art Center for over 20
years. Through its different classes it has promoted the work
of people with disabilities to the extent that some students
have received international acclaim for their work. One great
example is David Mackintosh who started at 72 after 56
years of institutionalization and now is renowned as the boy
that time forgot; receiving international attention for his late
discovered talent. All participants in the center have found
that creating art has contributed in their well being and has
created a way for them to be independent in the world.
(Malchiodi,2007) While this is not an example integrated into
a school setting it has potential to be something that can be
incorporated.
Sigmund Freud observed that, dreams, feelings, and
thoughts are experienced predominantly in visual form.
(Malchiodi, 2007) Not only is art therapy a way to express
ones self but a way of visual thinking. Since many memories
work in a visual way it only makes sense that it is easier for
someone to present these often abstract thoughts and ideas
through a visual form. In some cases specific to non-verbal
students it can be one of the only way to extract emotions
and feelings. Along with self-expression Art therapy helps
releasing those emotions. In psychological terms, this
experience is referred to as catharsis. Catharsis literally
means cleansing or purging; in therapy it refers to the
expression and discharge of strong emotions for relief.
(Malchiodi,2007) Creating artwork can be cathartic and this
can help with the relief of pain and troubling feelings.
The cathartic process in art has another benefit in
releasing anxiety and stress that can occur during everyday
life. Everyone experiences passive anxieties from
interactions required for basic socializing. Navigating
congregated groups of humans in transportation, shopping,
errands and virtually any simple urban process requires
working with and adapting to this default stress cycle. Some
manage this type of anxiety and stress well while others do
not cope well unless there is periodic and consistent relief.
Through Art therapy it is possible to identify and recognize
the issues and then work on how to change their impact by
creating release or by simple understanding which gives
comfort even when not resolved. First it is important to
express ones self by creating. While many forms of therapy
involve expressing through words art therapy provides a
permanent image that one can reflect on and go back to
after it has been created as a visual cue for successful
stress reduction. Some art therapists have noted that it is
easier for clients to express themselves through drawings or
paintings. (Chambala, 2008)An 8 week study was done on
people of varying ages with anxiety disorders in a clinical
setting of group therapy. Each group focused on a different
part of anxiety paired with relaxing techniques. Each group
started by telling their name or writing it down and then
talking about what anxiety is and what theirs were like. They
were guided through drawings to help cope and reflect on
the drawing that was created. At the end of the 8 week study
clients were invited to present their pictures in a gallery
space.(Chambala, 2008)Overall, art making allowed clients
to experience some form of containment and identification
with regard to their excessive worries, to identify their
personal strengths and weaknesses through creative
expression, and to leave treatment with tangible reminders
of their personal coping strategies. During the guided
imagery group session, clients appeared significantly calmer
after participating than when they first arrived. (Chambala,
2008) Of special interest is how this reducing anxiety and
stress can be a benefit to student in a school setting. Issues
that arise from testing season, large project deadlines and
research that may cause scholastic anxieties. This does not
even begin to address social anxieties which can be
especiallyhigh for High school and middle school aged
students with the complications of early adulthood.
As a human we have a natural drive to create things
with our hands. Realizing that one can create can generate
self-esteem. The art making process can touch many
different parts and tap into creativity while promoting pride
and confidence about ones accomplishments. Along with
these benefits for self-confidence there are also social
benefits from creator to witness; interactions like art gallery
showings and displays. You come see my work I build
confidence to produce more. There are also benefits student
to student and student to therapist from these new
collaborations. Art can be a normalizing way to present
students of Special needs. It also can integrate this
population into the general ed students, giving these
students a voice and a way to socialize outside of their
regular norms. (Malchiodi, 2007)
In conclusion Painting and Drawing Therapy may assist
all students and particularly students with Special Needs in
demonstrating their artistic ability and fostering inclusionary
practices in the school setting. With proper research and
serious attention in policy making, funding, and overall
community support we can make Painting/Drawing Therapy
a regular part of improving Special Needs students lives in
and beyond the education system.
References
Carrigan, J. (1994) Paint Talk: An Adaptive Art Experience
Promoting Communication and Understanding among
Students in an Integrated Classroom. Preventing School
Failure, 38(2), 34-37
Chambala, A. (2008). Anxiety and art therapy: Treatment in
the public eye.Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art
Therapy Association, 25(4), 187-189.
Isis, P. D., Bush, J., Siegel, C. A., & Ventura, Y. (2010).
Empowering students through creativity: Art therapy in
miami-dade county public schools.Art Therapy: Journal of
the American Art Therapy Association, 27(2), 56-61.
Malchiodi, C. A. (2007) The Art Therapy Sourcebook, New
York: McGraw-Hill.
Wexler, A., Derby, J. (2015) Art in Institutions: The
Emergence of(Disabled) Outsiders. Studies in Art Education:
A Journal of Issues and Research in Art Education, p 127-
141