| Abstract [eng] |
SUMMARY Title: The Significance of Group Art Therapy for Adolescent Girls Experiencing Anxiety Author: Armanda Viaževičė Supervisor: dr. Rima Breidokienė Consultant: lekt. Dovilė Jankauskienė Keywords: adolescents, teens, teenagers, girls, anxiety, anxiety difficulties, art therapy Aim of the study: Atskleisti grupinės dailės terapijos reikšmę paauglėms, patiriančioms nerimo sunkumus Objectives of the study: 1. To review the literature and existing studies on adolescent anxiety and its causes, treatment approaches, with particular emphasis on art therapy. 2. To assess the level of anxiety in participating adolescent girls before and after group art therapy, and to compare and analyze the results. 3. To explore the experiences of adolescent girls with anxiety difficulties in group art therapy using thematic analysis and analysis of formal elements and symbols in their artwork. Methods. A mixed-methods design was used, combining quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis. For quantitative analysis, the GAD-7 scale was administered to participants before and after a 12-session group art therapy intervention. The collected data were statistically processed and compared. For qualitative analysis, semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. The artworks created during group art therapy sessions were analyzed based on formal elements and symbols, drawing on relevant literature. A comparison was conducted between thematic analysis findings and artwork analysis insights. Results. After 12 group art therapy sessions, anxiety levels decreased for most participants: before therapy, 77.8% of the girls experienced high or severe anxiety, while after therapy – only 33.3%. The average anxiety score decreased from 11.4 to 10.0; this change was not statistically significant but approached the threshold of significance. Thematic and creative analysis revealed that group art therapy helped participants recognize and name their anxiety, express difficult emotions, better understand themselves, access internal resources, and reflect on relational dynamics. Conclusions. Group art therapy for adolescent girls experiencing anxiety difficulties proved to be significant not only as a tool for reducing anxiety, but also as an intervention that supports emotional, personal, and interpersonal development. |
