| Abstract [eng] |
Title - Possibilities of Applying Art Therapy to Children of Primary School Age who have Experienced the Loss of Loved Ones. Scientific problem - the loss of loved ones at the primary school age can cause behavioral, emotional regulation, and other difficulties for children that affect their lives and the lives of their loved ones. Art therapy promotes a safe response to emotions, the child's needs, and overcoming difficulties caused by the topic of loss. In Lithuania, no research has been conducted to investigate the possibilities of applying art therapy to a group of children who have experienced the loss of loved ones. Research aim - to reveal the experiences of bereaved children in the art therapy process and the possibilities of applying art therapy to bereaved children. Participants - 3 bereaved boys of primary school age (7-9 years) and their parents. Methodology – the qualitative research model was chosen. The data was collected using a semi - structured interview with the children's parents, the children's works, and the researcher's notes. The data were analyzed according to parents' interviews were examined according to inductive thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2006, 2014), children's works according to formal elements, and other characteristics of the work (Biedermann, 2002; Abt, 2005; Luscher, 1999; Widlocher, 2010; Chomentauskas, 1983; Brazauskaitė, 2004), etc. The research was conducted in October - December 2022, in Vilnius. Results - in the thematic analysis of the parents, the following themes emerged: the father's and child's relationship with the loss; the child before and after the loss of a loved one; art therapy application possibilities; application of art therapy to children who have experienced the loss of a loved one; the importance of sharing the relationship between therapist, therapy participant, and parents in improving the therapeutic process; noticeable changes after the application of art therapy. The analysis of the drawings revealed that the experience of loss in the drawings of elementary school - aged children was revealed through similar colors, use of tools, techniques, and repeated elements of human, animal, and plant figures. Conclusions - the possibilities of applying art therapy to children who have experienced the loss of a loved one were revealed through the following topics: the child's form of mourning, the child's changes and acceptance, and the child's emotions and relationships. Art therapy is used as a safe tool that helps express difficulties related to mourning, grief, a child's needs, emotions and relationships. |
