Page 72 - ART FORM AND MENTAL HEALTH - Ingrid Pénzes

deduce the clients’ material interaction and psychological characteristics, some information is not described. This leads to the assumption that one art product might be to limited in art therapy assessment. The participating art therapists were very experienced. This raises the question if novel art therapist are able to deduce the same information about a client as well.
Implications for practice and further research
The findings of this study provide a preliminary theoretical base of art therapy assessment. Results indicate that observing the material interaction as well as the art product are both important to gain information on the aspects of the client’s psychological functioning. This theoretical base draws on the perspectives of art therapists and is only limited connected to other existing theories. Future research should address how these findings relate to a broader theoretical context to address the question if, how and why observing material interaction and the art product enables art therapists to gain perspective on the clients’ psychological characteristics that may influence their daily functioning, decide whether to offer further art therapy, formulate adequate treatment goals and choose appropriate art materials that ameliorate clients’ mental health. Answers to these questions might enhance the position of art therapy assessment in adult mental health.
The findings of this study indicate that having knowledge and experience of the possibilities and restrictions of the whole range of art materials are conditional for art therapists to give meaning to clients’ material interaction. This implies that art therapists should maintain and elaborate their skills and knowledge of art materials. Future research that investigates the systematic application of art materials in art therapy assessment might have a catalysing role in this.
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