ABSTRACT

Background

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is one of the major health and human rights issues of our time, affecting one in three women worldwide. Despite IPV’s prevalence, limited research investigates the healing process for survivors or the efficacy of group art therapy (GAT). This study is grounded by a person-centred approach to art therapy and an interpretive method, highlighting the contextualised nature of reality and experience of social phenomena.

Aims

The aims of this community-based, qualitative study were to explore women IPV survivors’ experiences of GAT and better understand what aspects of GAT contribute to healing.

Methods

During 2018–2019, six women were interviewed about their experiences of participating in a 12-week GAT program within a Canadian domestic violence prevention agency. The transcribed interviews were analyzed with the method of thematic analysis.

Results

Four themes emerged from the analysis, and an overarching theme/pattern was identified through interpretation of these themes. The overarching theme was transformative healing, which women appeared to experience by creating connections in a safe space, using visual metaphors in their art-pieces, reclaiming an empowered self, and building resilience.

Conclusion

This study found that GAT was experienced as providing a relational component to healing and as fostering self-expression, inner and interpersonal growth, and confidence.

Implications

Art therapists and other mental health practitioners who support survivors may want to consider the unique contributions of art making when designing interventions. Future research should examine which arts-based interventions delivered in a group therapy context can promote IPV survivors’ mental health and wellness.

Plain-language summary

This article shares information from a qualitative study about group art therapy (GAT) for women survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV). IPV affects one in three women worldwide, including 6–8% of married/cohabiting women in Canada. Despite IPV’s prevalence, limited research investigates the healing process for survivors or the benefits of GAT services and approaches. This study was conducted in partnership with a non-profit organisation serving women survivors in a small Southwestern Ontario municipality.

The aims of this study were to explore women IPV survivors’ experiences of GAT within a domestic violence prevention agency, and better understand what aspects of the GAT process, if any, contribute to healing. The study involved interviews and an arts-based research component with six participants who completed the organisation’s 12-week GAT program. Researchers utilised thematic analysis, a method of uncovering key themes across the interviews, to learn how participants experienced the GAT program. Through the process of thematic analysis, the study found that participants appeared to experience transformative healing by creating connections with the therapists, peers, and art media in a safe space; using visual metaphors in their art-pieces to symbolise their emotions and future possibilities; reclaiming an empowered self, which was creative, playful, and hopeful; and building strength and resilience through the group process.

This study found that art therapy in a group context was experienced as providing a relational component to healing and as fostering self-expression, inner and interpersonal growth, and increased confidence. Art therapists and other mental health practitioners who support survivors may, therefore, want to consider the unique contributions of art and art making when designing interventions. Future research should examine which specific arts-based interventions delivered in a formal group therapy context can promote mental health and wellness in individuals who have experienced IPV.

中文翻译：

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通过团体艺术治疗探索亲密伴侣暴力幸存者的经历

摘要

背景

亲密伴侣暴力 (IPV) 是我们这个时代的主要健康和人权问题之一，影响着全世界三分之一的女性。尽管 IPV 很普遍，但有限的研究调查了幸存者的康复过程或团体艺术疗法 (GAT) 的功效。本研究以以人为本的艺术治疗方法和解释方法为基础，强调现实的情境化本质和社会现象的经验。

宗旨

这项基于社区的定性研究的目的是探索女性 IPV 幸存者的 GAT 经历，并更好地了解 GAT 的哪些方面有助于康复。

方法

2018-2019 年间，六名女性接受了采访，了解她们在加拿大家庭暴力预防机构参加为期 12 周的 GAT 计划的经历。采用主题分析的方法对转录的访谈进行分析。

结果

分析中出现了四个主题，并且通过对这些主题的解释确定了一个总体主题/模式。总体主题是变革性治疗，女性似乎通过在安全空间中建立联系、在艺术作品中使用视觉隐喻、恢复强大的自我和建立韧性来体验这种治疗。

结论

这项研究发现，GAT 被体验为提供治疗的相关成分，并促进自我表达、内心和人际关系的成长以及自信。

启示

支持幸存者的艺术治疗师和其他心理健康从业者可能希望在设计干预措施时考虑艺术创作的独特贡献。未来的研究应该检查在团体治疗环境中提供哪些基于艺术的干预措施可以促进 IPV 幸存者的心理健康。

通俗易懂的总结

本文分享了一项关于针对亲密伴侣暴力 (IPV) 女性幸存者的团体艺术治疗 (GAT) 的定性研究信息。IPV 影响全世界三分之一的女性，包括加拿大 6–8% 的已婚/同居女性。尽管 IPV 流行，但有限的研究调查了幸存者的康复过程或 GAT 服务和方法的好处。这项研究是与一个为安大略省西南部一个小城市的女性幸存者服务的非营利组织合作进行的。

本研究的目的是探讨女性 IPV 幸存者在家庭暴力预防机构中的 GAT 经历，并更好地了解 GAT 过程的哪些方面（如果有的话）有助于治愈。该研究涉及访谈和基于艺术的研究部分，有六名参与者完成了该组织为期 12 周的 GAT 计划。研究人员利用主题分析（一种在访谈中揭示关键主题的方法）来了解参与者如何体验 GAT 计划。通过主题分析的过程，该研究发现参与者似乎通过在安全的空间中与治疗师、同龄人和艺术媒体建立联系来体验变革性的治疗；在他们的艺术作品中使用视觉隐喻来象征他们的情感和未来的可能性；找回一个有能力的自我，这是有创造力的，好玩，充满希望；通过小组过程建立力量和韧性。

这项研究发现，团体环境中的艺术治疗被体验为提供治疗的相关组成部分，并促进自我表达、内在和人际关系的成长，以及增强信心。因此，支持幸存者的艺术治疗师和其他心理健康从业者可能希望在设计干预措施时考虑艺术和艺术创作的独特贡献。未来的研究应该检查在正式的团体治疗环境中提供哪些特定的基于艺术的干预措施可以促进经历过 IPV 的个人的心理健康和健康。