Impact of Integrated Arts Therapy: An Intervention Program for Young Female Offenders in Correctional Institution

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of program of integrated arts therapy on young female delinquents' who experienced emotional and behavioral problems in a correctional institution. The outlined intervention was introduced as part of a curriculum involving art therapy, drama therapy, music therapy, and dance/movement therapy sessions that were facilitated twice a week during a 5-week period. A quasi-experimental design was used where an intervention group (N = 12) and a control group (N = 17) members aged 14-17 years were evaluated at two time points. A self-report version of Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and a modified Behavior Checklist (BC) were used prior to and after the intervention to screen for conduct, emotional, peer problems, hyperactivity, and prosocial behavior, and to investigate the frequencies of aggressive, withdrawn and prosocial behavior. There were statistically significant reductions in three of the five emotional and behavioral problems measured by the SDQ, including conduct and emotional problems, an increase of prosocial behavior, and significant differences in two domains measured by the BC: decrease in frequencies of aggressive behavior and increase of prosocial behavior.

Effects Of Integrated Arts Therapy Intervention In Youngsters At Risk For Delinquency

“…These results are in the line of several evidence-based prior studies showing that arts-based programs were effective to reduce risk group youngsters delinquent behavior (Clawson & Coolbaugh 2001), externalized (and internalized) behaviors (Rapp-Paglicci et al, 2012), and emotional and behavioral problems (measured by the SDQ) (Cobbett, 2016). Also, multi-modal arts therapy was effective to reduce young offenders' emotional, conduct and aggressive problems with improvement of their prosocial behavior (Kõiv & Kaudne, 2015). In addition, risk group students' emotional problems, hyperactivity, problems with peers, and total difficulties have improved in relation to the implementation of art therapy interventions.…”

“…20 problems of juvenile delinquents in correctional settings and results revealed significant improvements among intervention group youngsters in the area of prosocial behaviour and reduction of conduct and emotional problems, and aggressive behavior (Kõiv & Kaudne, 2015). The practice-based (Smeijsters et al, 2011) research in comprehensive implication of multi-modal arts therapy programs in correctional institutions have found that these interventions can primary serve to reduce impulsiveness, regulate anger, and increase empathy and compliance of young offenders.…”

“…This program integrated four arts modalities: visual art therapy (about 40%), music therapy (30%), drama therapy (20%), and dance-movement therapy (10%), layering several art modalities in one session and was previously tested (Kõiv & Kaudne, 2015) among juvenile delinquents. The program was designed to follow the school-year schedule and to run as an integrated part of school curriculum with using multimodal group-based art activities aimed to promote participants' self-concept, and social and emotional skills.…”

Twice Exceptional Students: Gifts and Talents, the Performing Arts, and Juvenile Delinquency

“…Various forms of art therapy have been used in adult forensic psychiatry settings (Smeijsters & Cleven, 2006) and general prisons (Meekums & Daniel, 2011). These include art and drama (Chapman, 2014), music (Hickey, 2018; Pool & Odell‐Miller, 2011), dance (Kiepe, Stöckigt, & Keil, 2012), and integrated (all art forms) art therapies (Kõiv & Kaudne, 2015). When used with general prison samples, art therapy has been demonstrated to reduce violence within the prisons, prison incidents, and rule violations (Brewster, 1983).…”

Primjena metode fraktalnog crteža u socijalnopedagoškom radu

“…Zanimljivo istraživanje o učinku integrativne art-terapije provedeno je i u Litvi, u jednoj korekcijskoj ustanovi za djevojke, počiniteljicama kaznenih djela u dobi od 14 do 16 godina, koje je pokazalo statistički značajan rezultat kad je riječ o smanjenju frekvencije agresivnog ponašanja, odnosno porastu frekvencije javljanja prosocijalnih ponašanja kod delinkventnih djevojaka koje su sudjelovale u Programu, u odnosu na kontrolnu skupinu (Koiv i Kaudne, 2015). U navedenim primjerima zamjećuje se značajan pozitivan učinak kreativnih tehnika u radu s djecom i mladima rizičnog ponašanja, međutim, mislim da je razvoj kreativnih sposobnosti na ovim prostorima premalo zastupljen u svim životnim područjima i na neki način kreativnost se još uvijek promatra kao privilegij talentiranih umjetnika ili inovatora te velik broj ljudi, osobito djece, uopće nije svjestan vlastitih kreativnih potencijala.…”