Art therapy for treating anxiety in adolescents with psychosomatic diseases

Abstract

The purpose of our study was to develop and test a program for treating anxiety and hostility in adolescents with psychosomatic diseases (PSDs) by means of art therapy. Methods and Results: This study included 20 patients with PSDs aged between 15 years and 17 years. The patients’ examination included clinical data analysis, using standard records, and testing, using a questionnaire to reveal the severity of psychopathological symptoms (SCL–90–R, adapted by Tarabrina et al. 1997) and the Bekhterev Institute Personality Questionnaire (BIPQ, 1980). Art therapy sessions were conducted from 11:00 a.m. till 1:00 p.m., which coincides with the transition in the daily rhythm of autonomic nervous system activity and is more suitable for the reserve capabilities of the body. The course consisted of 10 daily 1.5-hour procedures. The controlled study duration was 10±2 days. The examination showed that adolescents with PSDs had an above-normal “Anxiety” (ANX) indicator, according to the SCL-90-R method, and a high score for the “Anxious” type (AT) of attitude toward the disease, according to the Bekhterev Institute Personality Questionnaire (BIPQ). Conclusion: Art therapy for treatment of adolescents with PSD contributed to a normalization of their emotional state, helped them gain new experience in solving problems, and improved the quality of life.