ART-MAKING AND PSYCHOSOCIAL RECOVERY: "I CAME OUT OF MY SHELL"

Background: “Psychosocial recovery” reflects a philosophy that respects client choice and autonomy in a healing journey, with outcomes best defined by individuals’ lived experiences (Stoffel, 2011). Occupational... [ view full abstract ]

Background:
“Psychosocial recovery” reflects a philosophy that respects client choice and autonomy in a healing journey, with outcomes best defined by individuals’ lived experiences (Stoffel, 2011). Occupational therapists skillfully use occupation to facilitate recovery and art-making as occupation shows promise to achieve recovery goals (VanLith et al., 2013). This project privileged clients’ accounts of structured art classes and individualized occupational therapy provided in a community-based program threatened with closure.
Method:
A mixed methods approach guided a one-year impact study. Focus groups and interviews generated qualitative data from clients, alumni, and staff, analyzed thematically. A chart audit extracted Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS) and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE) scores at baseline, 4, 8, and 12 months, and one-year Canadian Occupational Performance Measure change scores, each analyzed using descriptive statistics and t-tests.
Results:
Four focus groups (n=21) and 24 individual interviews yielded key themes related to getting back into the world, learning skills, building self-worth, and sustaining hope. Transcripts include compelling descriptions of life before and after art-making, stories crucial to the recovery journey: “I come here to be challenged to be social, creative, and give back. Because what they’ve given to me I can’t even measure.” One-year analyses of RAS and RSE (n=60) show stability, with no statistically significant differences; COPM change scores improved by 1.5 points (p<.01).
Conclusion:
The art-making program helped stabilize participants’ health rated by standardized measures with greater impact immensely more apparent in narratives.
Application to Practice:
Consistent with psychosocial recovery philosophy, assessing outcomes should privilege personal accounts.