Date of Award

Spring 5-2017

Document Type

Master's Project

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

EVMS School of Health Professions

Program/Concentration

Art Therapy and Counseling

Committee Director

Erin Blair

Committee Member

Mary Roberts

Committee Member

Anna McChesney

Abstract

Adolescents with learning disabilities are a population that not only experience stressors from being in academic settings, but also struggle with social and emotional competency as a result of their diagnoses. Group art therapy can be implemented as a successful approach to impart stress management techniques and increase social and emotional learning for this student population. Six adolescents (N=6) participated in an eight-week long study at a school consisting of eight one-hour-long art therapy sessions. The participants completed pre- and post-intervention measures via the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale, second edition (BERS-2) and a participant experience questionnaire. Additionally, the artwork created in session was analyzed for themes. The results of the BERS-2, participant experience questionnaire, and artwork found visible improvements in behavioral and emotional strengths despite lack of statistical significance, increases in feelings-centered vocabulary, and themes of effective coping skills and sublimation through artmaking. This mixed method study will provide much needed support for the efficacy of group art therapy processes and materials on teaching stress management skills and strengthening social and emotional competency for adolescents with learning disabilities. ii

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