Page 140 - ART FORM AND MENTAL HEALTH - Ingrid Pénzes

The emphasis on the art-making process and the material interaction, however, does not necessarily imply that the diagnostic task can only be done by the therapist during the art- making of the client. One of the most remarkable results of our studies is the unanimous agreement of art therapists that this material interaction is, at least partly, reflected in the formal elements of the art product. This is consistent with the views of other authors who consider the characteristics of the art product, such as line, color and structure, to be the result of the art-making process (Chilton, 2013; Eytan & Elkis-Abuhoff, 2013; Gantt, 2004, 2001; Gussak & Rosal, 2016; Hass-Cohen & Findlay, 2015; Kaplan, as cited in Malchiodi, 2012; Kim et al., 2012; Mattson, 2009; Thomas & Cody, as cited in Gilroy et al., 2012; Thyme et al., 2013). This train of thought would imply that just observing the formal elements is already an important source for assessing clients’ mental health. Does this mean that it is not important to look at the art-making process anymore? And does this mean that only looking at the art product is sufficient to obtain information on the client? We simply do not know yet; however, our results give us a direction to further examine the formal elements in art therapy assessment. Focusing solely on formal elements of the art product has the methodological advantage of objectifying diagnostic cues. Furthermore, it can be a royal road to gaining a better understanding of art therapy assessment and more concise formulations of assumptions in art therapy assessment. Without a specific focus, it could remain an inextricable complexity in which it is not clear what is important and how elements are related. By focusing, we do not want to exclude themes. Instead, we want to limit the variables that could be operationalized and eventually measured reliably, and that are clinically relevant according to art therapists. Only in this way can we work on obtaining clarity in the complexity of the clinical context of art therapy observation and assessment.
2. Formal elements of art products
The above-mentioned complexity regarding art therapy observation and assessment could also be recognized in the number of formal elements that are considered as important for art therapy assessment. In literature and clinical practice, it is suggested that many formal elements are clinically and theoretically relevant. These are related to client characteristics, to psycho-social problems, or to psychopathology (e.g., Cohen, 1986, 1994;
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