EFFECTS OF ART THERAPY

Art therapy, a treatment based on the experience and the use of art media, is used quite
frequently in mental healthcare (ZiN, 2015). Patients as well as professionals consider it
important and meaningful (e.g. Haeyen, 2011a; Karterud & Pedersen, 2004). Although these
clinical experiences suggest art therapy is an effective intervention, a sound scientific base
for this intervention is needed. Art therapy is poorly researched and lacks solid evidence for
effectivity (Reynolds, Nabors, & Quinlan, 2000).
The central objective of this thesis is to examine the effects of art therapy in patients diagnosed
with personality disorders. The main research question will be: is art therapy effective? And if so,
how large are the effects of art therapy, and what can be said about the nature of these effects?
In this introduction, art therapy is defined, the context in which art therapy takes place is
described and the target group of this thesis is defined, i.e. patients with personality disorders.
Next, an overview of current literature is presented on what we know about the effects of art
therapy and about its underlying processes. Finally, the structure of this thesis is outlined.