Perceptions of young adult clients treated with time-limited art therapy

Abstract

Background: This study examined the perceptions of young adult clients undergoing Time-Limited Art Therapy (TLAT) inspired by the Time-Limited Psychotherapy model (Mann, 1973). Twenty-one clients aged 23-35 dealing with typical young adulthood challenges participated in the TLAT intervention. Aims: Examine clients' perceptions of the TLAT, how art helped focus on their central issue in therapy, the function of art in therapy, therapy outcomes, and changes in self-image a topic that has yet to be explored in the art therapy literature. Methods: Therapy consisted of 26 sessions at a dedicated research clinic, with the termination date announced during the first session. The TLAT consisted of four intake sessions integrating structured art-based interventions, after which the central issue for therapy was formulated. This was followed by 22 sessions during which artmaking arose spontaneously. Semi structured interviews were conducted with all clients at the start and end of therapy. The data analysis adhered to Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) principles. Results: The CQR analysis revealed seven domains: clients' expectations when coming to TLAT, clients' perceptions of the time dimension in therapy, the therapeutic relationship, the significance of the central issue in therapy, the role of art in processing contents in therapy, the termination phase of therapy and the significance of therapy. Conclusions: Artmaking in TLAT helps draw attention to the central issue, foster the therapeutic relationship, and facilitate self-exploration. These results indicate the value of short-term individual models in art therapy and the advantages of incorporating art into brief psychotherapy, especially in cases with time constraints. Plain-language summary: This study investigated how young adults perceive Time-Limited Art Therapy (TLAT), a therapeutic approach based on the principles of Time-Limited Psychotherapy (Mann, 1973), a focused short-term psychotherapy model. It explored how clients experienced therapy, and in particular how artmaking helped them address their central issue, the role of art in therapy, therapeutic outcome, as well as how therapy affected their self-image, a topic that has not received much attention in art therapy research. Twenty-one participants aged 23–35 (eight men and 13 women) dealing with typical issues such as adjusting to new life stages, managing relationships, and coping with mild depression or anxiety took part. The therapy focuses on one central issue formulated collaboratively by the therapist and client. Therapy consisted of 26 sessions at a dedicated research clinic, with the end date set in the first session. The four intake sessions used structured art interventions to identify the central issue for therapy. This was followed by 22 sessions in which artmaking was more spontaneous. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with all clients at the start and end of therapy. Data analysis applied the principles of Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR), which centred on participants’ internal experiences. The CQR analysis identified seven main domains: what clients expected when starting TLAT, how they viewed time in therapy, their relationship with the therapist, the importance of the central issue in therapy, the role of art in processing contents in therapy, the ending of therapy and the significance of therapy. The findings highlight how art in this brief therapeutic framework can centre attention on the central issue, enhance the bond between client and therapist, and encourage self-reflection. These positive outcomes support short-term art therapy methods, especially in the public sector, where time and cost-effective considerations are critical.