| Abstract [eng] |
Context: The wide range and high prevalence of mental health risk factors among adolescents, not only in Lithuania but also worldwide, reflects the great need for mental health promotion and risk factor prevention. The most effective interventions are those that are widely available, relevant to adolescents' mental health needs and the digitalisation of society, and tailored to adolescents, and are implemented in the settings where adolescents spend the majority of their day, i.e. at school. Topic: Assessment of the effectiveness and experiences of digital art therapy on mental health of adolescents Research aim: to assess the suitability and effectiveness of the DAT approach in promoting adolescent mental health. Methodology: A mixed-methods (quantitative, qualitative) intervention study was conducted with intervention and control groups, assessing changes in self-esteem, SPS, mental health and FEATS items in the groups before and after the intervention. The sample was students in grades 6-9 in 2 schools (1 public, 1 private). 69 adolescents participated in the study: intervention group (n=36) and control group (n=33). The intervention was digital drawing on a digital photograph on a smartphone. Results: The analysis of the scientific literature revealed the specificities of adolescents' mental health difficulties and the research evidence for the effectiveness of DAT approaches. The qualitative research revealed the unique experiences of adolescents in DAT. In the quantitative study, statistically significant differences were found when comparing changes in FEATS variables after 5 sessions (p=0.00023; p=0.00022) with medium effect sizes of 0.476 and 0.477, and when comparing the intervention group with the control group (p=0.00011; p=0.00183) with medium effect sizes of 0.498 and 0.402. In the intervention group, self-esteem increased by 0.90, SPS decreased by -1.33 and SDQ score improved by -0.67, with no statistically significant differences, but non-zero effect sizes. Conclusions: 1. The analysis of scientific literature in Lithuania and worldwide has confirmed the need to pay additional attention to adolescents' mental health, and the lack of specific prevention programmes for adolescents. A review of the potential of DAT approaches suggests that the positive effects of DAT interventions include a wide range of biopsychosocial benefits, which are manifested depending on the intervention, and that the approaches used can be unique and creative, widely applicable and accessible, influencing the client's engagement and the therapeutic relationship. 2. The qualitative research on adolescents' experience of DAT reveals the freedom of the creative process, with no limitations in the way students create and express their desired imagery. It is evident that the pupils are very easily engaged in DAT, their motivation grows during the therapeutic process, their mood and psychological well-being improves. 3. When comparing the FEATS variables, statistically significant changes were found after 5 sessions. The medium effect size indicates that significant changes occurred in the groups. Small positive changes were observed in all scales (increase in self-esteem, decrease in SPS and decrease in SDQ scores). A non-zero effect size indicates that there were changes in mental health status across groups. Correlations between scales within groups revealed tendentious, logical relationships between scales, and the estimated coefficients are useful for assessing the validity of the scales. 4. The quantitative and qualitative results show that participation in DAT groups has positive benefits for adolescents' mental health. DAT methods are an effective way of promoting adolescent mental health and are suitable for use in mainstream schools. Keywords: digital art therapy, adolescents, formal elements art therapy scale, space, implicit energy, mental health. DAT - Digital Art Therapy; SPS - Subjectively perceived stress;. |
