Young individuals with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) risk severe physical complications and psychosocial stressors. Art therapy is a psychosocial resource offered to youth with SCD in several medical settings across the United States. The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand art therapy clinical practices with young individuals with SCD in a medical setting through thematic and content analysis. We interviewed 21 art therapists with clinical experience with this population. Data analysis suggests that participants utilize a person-centered approach and consider several factors (e.g., patient assessment, patient-specific factors and potential psychosocial stressors and physical complications) when determining their clinical decisions before and during the art therapy intervention. Clinical goals, art materials, and art therapist engagement mutually influence each other throughout the session. The art therapist remains flexible and adapts their intervention procedures as necessary to meet the in-the-moment needs of the patient. Additionally, data analysis revealed that participants regularly encounter several challenges and barriers related to working with this population and that the race of the art therapist contributes to additional challenges and barriers. This research study serves as an initial step to understanding how art therapists work with young individuals with SCD. Further research involving patients’ voices is necessary to better understand patients’ subjective experiences and the impact of art therapy on young individuals with SCD.

中文翻译：

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对患有镰状细胞病的年轻人进行艺术治疗：了解临床实践、挑战和障碍

患有镰状细胞病 (SCD) 的年轻人面临严重的身体并发症和心理压力。艺术治疗是美国多个医疗机构为患有 SCD 的青少年提供的一种心理社会资源。这项定性研究的目的是通过主题和内容分析，更好地了解医疗环境中患有 SCD 的年轻人的艺术治疗临床实践。我们采访了 21 名具有该人群临床经验的艺术治疗师。数据分析表明，参与者在艺术治疗干预之前和干预期间确定临床决策时，采用以人为本的方法并考虑几个因素（例如患者评估、患者特定因素以及潜在的社会心理压力源和身体并发症）。临床目标、艺术材料和艺术治疗师的参与在整个治疗过程中相互影响。艺术治疗师保持灵活性，并根据需要调整他们的干预程序，以满足患者的即时需求。此外，数据分析显示，参与者经常遇到与该人群合作相关的一些挑战和障碍，而艺术治疗师的种族也会带来额外的挑战和障碍。这项研究是了解艺术治疗师如何与患有 SCD 的年轻人合作​​的第一步。有必要进一步研究患者的声音，以更好地了解患者的主观体验以及艺术治疗对患有 SCD 的年轻人的影响。