Individual Art Therapy Counseling with At-Risk Children in a School Setting By Margaret Ann ...

121 Pages·2008·1.71 MB·English

by  Margaret Rastle

Individual Art Therapy Counseling with
At-Risk Children in a School Setting
By
Margaret Ann Rastle

A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of

The Requirements for the Degree of

Master of Arts in Art Therapy & Counseling

Ursuline College Graduate Studies

May, 2008
Ursuline College

Graduate Studies

We hereby approve the thesis of

MARGARET ANN RASTLE
candidate for the

Master of Arts in Art Therapy & Counseling Degree

Approved by:

___________________________________________________
Dean of Graduate Studies

___________________________________________________
Director of Master of Arts in Art Therapy & Counseling Program

Reading Committee:

________________________________________
________________________________________

May, 2008

ii
Copyright 2008

Margaret Ann Rastle

All Rights Reserved

iii
Acknowledgments

Thank you to all of the students, parents and teachers I worked with during
my research study. This process was only possible through their willingness to
participate. I would like to thank Sister Kathleen Burke and Kate Strazisar for
their suggestions and encouragement throughout this study.
I would like to thank my fellow art therapy counseling students for their
constant support over the past three years. Thank you to the Ursuline College Art
Therapy Counseling program faculty and staff. There is no adequate way to thank
you for the knowledge and experience I have gained learning from all of you. I
would also like to thank Sondra Radcliff and Heidi Larew for their guidance and
support during my internship.
I would like to thank my family; especially my mother for always
encouraging me to pursue my dreams. Thank you to my friends and coworkers at
the Kirtland Temple for their support and flexibility during my graduate studies.
I would like to thank Cecile Brennan and Gail Rule-Hoffman for their
editing skills and revision suggestions. A special thank you to Kate Strazisar for
her supervision and insight during this study and also for serving as my thesis
reader.

iv
Abstract

Individual Art Therapy Counseling with
At-Risk Children in a School Setting
Margaret Ann Rastle

This mixed methods research study examined the use of art therapy counseling
with at-risk children in a private inner city school setting.
The participants in this study attended 12 individual art therapy counseling
sessions with an art therapy counseling student. Each participant, parent or
guardian, and teacher was given pre and post-art therapy counseling surveys
which were used to determine the effectiveness of the art therapy counseling
sessions. A mixture of art making and psychotherapy was used with each
participant and also used to evaluate the sessions.
The individual sessions gave the participants a chance to build a therapeutic
relationship with an adult. The numerical data collected in this study is of limited
statistical significance; however the qualitative data collected demonstrates the
need that children have for undivided positive attention from trusted adults.

v
Table of Contents
Page
Approval Pages ii
Copyright iii
Acknowledgments iv
Abstract v
List of Figures and Tables viii
Chapter I Introduction 1
Chapter II Research Design 7
Chapter III Review of Related Literature 15
Chapter IV Case Study: John 26
Chapter V Case Study: David 46
Chapter VI Results and Conclusions 68
References 74
Appendixes Appendix A: Individual Results 78
Appendix B: Overall Participant Results 96
Appendix C: Art Release Form 99
Appendix D: Pre-Art Therapy Counseling
Survey Cover Letters 100
Appendix E: Pre-Art Therapy
Counseling Surveys 102
vi
Appendix F: Post-Art Therapy Counseling
Survey Cover Letters 105
Appendix G: Post-Art Therapy
Counseling Surveys 107
Appendix H: Survey Scoring Forms 110

vii
List of Figures
Page
Figure 1 Concurrent triangulation strategy 8
Figure 2 John's house 31
Figure 3 Lauren's bush 32
Figure 4 Ashley 33
Figure 5 John's drawing of his mother 35
Figure 6 John's kinetic family drawing 36
Figure 7 Rock 40
Figure 8 John's rescue drawing 41
Figure 9 John's bird family drawing 42
Figure 10 David's self collage 47
Figure 11 David's house drawing 50
Figure 12 David's train drawing 51
Figure 13 David's wooden cross 53
Figure 14 David's cheetah 56
Figure 15 Happy 57
Figure 16 Sad 58
Figure 17 Frustrated 59
Figure 18 Mad 60
Figure 19 Confused 60
viii
Figure 20 Excited 61
Figure 21 Dreadful 61
Figure 22 Tired 62
ix
Chapter I
Introduction
Statement of the Problem
According to a report published by the National Advisory Mental Health
Council (2001), 1 in 10 children and adolescents has a mental illness severe
enough to cause significant functional impairment. The Center for Disease
Control (2004) reported that only 1 in 5 children and adolescents with mental
illness obtained services from qualified mental health professionals. Untreated
mental and emotional disorders, as well as poor self-esteem, can be a barrier for
children’s academic success (Becker & Luthar, 2002).
Without appropriate treatment, children and adolescents suffering from
these disorders often display negative behaviors, caused by poor self-esteem and
inadequate social supports (Lever et al., 2004). It is also believed that children
who are having difficulties in school are more likely to display negative
behaviors. The Institute of Medicine (1994) reported that 12 percent to 30 percent
of school-aged children have severe educational problems due to emotional
disorders.
Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study was to better understand the impact of individual
art therapy counseling on at-risk children in a school setting by combining both
quantitative and qualitative data. In the study surveys were used to measure the