The purpose of this study is to prove that the Group Art Therapy(GAT) is effective in improving self-expression and self-esteem of children at a local child center and ultimately to help them lead better school life and improve social adaptation.
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The purpose of this study is to prove that the Group Art Therapy(GAT) is effective in improving self-expression and self-esteem of children at a local child center and ultimately to help them lead better school life and improve social adaptation.
The subjects of this study were composed of eight children who were using a local child center "H" in Hwaseong city, Gyeong-gi province. After a preliminary test, one-shot case study consisting of eighteen sessions was conducted with a researcher-developed GAT program for this study and with some extracts from the existing GAT programs. A post-test was done thereafter.
The results of this study are summarized as follows:
First, GAT had a significant effect on children's self-expression at the local child center. The global self-expression showed an increase from 59.85 in the pre-test to 76.28 in the post-test. Also, there was a significant change in the paired-sample t-test results as t=-2.715(p<0.01).
The self-expression, as a sub-domain of self-expression, displayed a meaningful change as t=-2.589 (p<0.05) in the paired-sample t-test with the scores of 26.88 in the pre-test and 32.01 in the post-test. The verbal self-expression showed a significant change with 20.45 in the pre-test, 27.45 in the post-test and t=-2.919(p<0.05) in the paired-sample t-test. Also in the nonverbal self-expression, a notable change was observed: 12.59 in the pre-test, 16.88 in the post-test and t=-5.508(p<0.01) in the paired-sample t-test.
As above, the test results proved the effect of the GAT program at a local child center in the total self-expression and its sub-domains of self-expression, verbal self-expression and nonverbal self-expression,
Secondly, the GAT proved to be notably effective in improving children's self-esteem at the local child center. The global self-esteem showed a notable increase from 97.55 in the pre-test to 107,84 in the post-test, and there was a significant change in the paired-sample t-test results as t=-4.643(p<0.01).
As sub-conceptual domains of self-esteem, the general self-esteem had non-significant change: 21.12 in the pre-test, 22.98 in the post-test, and in the paired-sample t-test result of t=-2.408(p>0.05). The social self-esteem also did not show any notable change in the results as 27.41 in the pre-test, 28.55 in the post-test and t=-1.329(p>0.05) in the paired-sample t-test. In the home self-esteem, however, there was a meaningful change: 27.55 in the pre-test, 31.96 in the post-test and t=-3.215(p<0.01) in the paired-sample t-test. Also in the school self-esteem, a notable change was observed: 21.41 in the pre-test, 24.27 in the post-test and t=-3.869(p<0.01) in the paired-sample t-test.
As for the self-esteem, the GAT proved to be effective in improving the global self-esteem and its sub-conceptual domains of the home self-esteem and school self-esteem, while the general self-esteem and the social self-esteem did not show any significant change.
Based upon the results of this study, I would like to make conclusions as follows:
First, the GAT conducted for children at a local child center proved its effects as the children participated in the study achieved positive self-expression and self-esteem: they recovered from negative self-image caused by psychological weaknesses and frustration.
Secondly, for the GAT in this study was the short-term program of only eighteen sessions, follow-up studies are necessary to develop many different long-term programs and more art therapy programs suitable for each age group
Thirdly, art therapy competence as group workers should be enhanced by organizing a committee or association for art therapy programs as a way of realizing group social welfare.