AbstractVeterans are susceptible to suffering PTSD mainly because of the trauma they experience during combat duties. The serious nature of this mental illness advocates for establishing effective treatment options. Art therapy is an alternative therapeutic treatment option that is less evasive compared to traditional therapeutic methods. In this research, the study analyzes the effectiveness of art therapy in reducing symptoms of PTSD. The study involves observing a group of 50 veterans in group art therapy for two months. Results obtained from the study indicated positive reviews for art therapy from participants. This, therefore, showcases the effectiveness of art therapy in treating PTSD.The effectiveness of art therapy in treating veterans with PTSDApproximately 22 veterans are reported to commit suicide every dayin the United States. Veterans are often left with memories of battles which inturn present postwar symptoms that are commonly known as a post-traumaticdisorder or commonly referred to as PTSD. PTSD is one of the leading causes ofthe steady increase in suicide rates among veterans and this showcases theimportance of finding effective treatment options. PTSD affects thousands ofveterans in the United States especially from veterans from recent wars inAfghanistan and Iraq. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.(n.d.), about 23 percent of veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars arereported to suffer from PTSD. The numbers for other wars such as the VietnamWar accounts for 10 percent of veterans with PTSD while the Gulf War veteranswith PTSD were estimated to make up 10 percent of the current veteranssuffering from this psychological illness.With the recent end of both Afghanistan and Iraq wars, there is a growing concern on the current efficacy of treatment options for postwar treatment. This comes from an increase in a number of veterans returning home which also correlates to increase in cases of PTSD. Veterans Affairs health care is without a doubt the largest healthcare system in America. The prevalence of PTSD among veterans has received significant funding from the federal government. What can be done to reduce the prevalence and most importantly the effects of PTSD among veterans in the United States? This is the main concern with the rise in the number of veterans there is the need to investigate on the efficiency of the existing treatment options to ascertain that the required help is availed to veterans with PTSD. Combat exposure is the leading cause of PTSD especially among malesbut when it comes to female veterans, sexual trauma has been registered as theleading cause of PTSD. Treatment for PTSD widely varies as different researchmethods recommend the distinct therapeutic process. One of the treatmentoptions which is fairly recent in the treatment of PTSD is art therapy. The potential therapeutic and effectivenessof art therapy among veterans suffering from PTSD has not been widelyresearched hence limited knowledge is available on the treatment results ofthis option. To date, art therapy has not been considered to be effective inreducing or managing symptoms related to PTSD (Blankenship, 2017). This research looks into showing that art therapy is not only effective but at the same time an engaging form of treatment that offers diversity and improves participation during therapy. That is, this research would highlight the effectiveness of art therapy in ensuring that veterans with PTSD continuously attend therapy sessions. This originates from studies that showcase the ineffectiveness of cognitive processing therapy in motivating veterans with PTSD to continue with treatment session for a lengthy time (Campbell, Kurk, & Deaver, 2016). As a result, the main aim of this research paper would be to analyze the effectiveness of art therapy in the treatment of veterans with PTSD and consequently comment on its suitability and point out the potential therapeutic benefits. Research Problemand QuestionsThe increasingnumber of suicide rates in veterans suffering from PTSD calls for review oncurrent treatment options and analyze their effectiveness. Although cognitiveprocessing therapy has long been preferred as the go-to treatment options, theyhave been seen to have some limitations. Art therapy is a relatively new methodthat has not been fully embraced in the psychology field. The research problem,in this case, revolves around debunking the belief that art therapy is noteffective in reducing symptoms related to PTSD. Questions thatwould be explored and answered in this study would include:What are the different components of art therapy that showcase the positive impact on veterans with PTSD? Is art therapy effective in the long term and how it does it cater for diversity among veterans with PTSD?In the case where art therapy is combined with other forms of therapy in treating PTSD, does it remain effective as in the case where it is utilized as the primary form of treatment?Literature ReviewThis section of the research paper will focus on three area. Thefirst part of the literature will analyze or rather explain diagnosis for PTSDaccording to the current research data. At the same time, this section willanalyze the current methods that are being utilized in treatment and thecurrent view on their effectiveness. The second part of the literature reviewwill analyze factors that influence engagement of art therapy in treatingveterans with PTSD. The third part of the literature review will analyze andreview the exploration of art therapy. Understanding PTSDThe diagnosis forpost-traumatic stress disorder commonly known as PTSD was first included in theDSM as early as 1980. Prior to official classification, research indicated thatPTSD was called or described in different names and conditions including warneurosis, traumatic neurosis, shell shock, gross stress reaction and evencombat fatigue. This research determined that although the diagnosis of PTSD isrelatively new, the symptoms related to this mental illness have beenexperienced and at the same time documented for thousands of years. Veterans with PTSDare reported to experience symptoms such as intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, andnightmares which allow the past to aggressively invade the present. According to Mandic-Gajic & Spiric, (2016), individuals in thisstate of mind find it hard to differentiate or clearly define the past, thepresent and the future. The past is at all times increasing aggressivelyinvading present moments with the main memories and thought involving traumaticevents that took place in the past. This, therefore, implies that symptomsrelated to PTSD mainly involve relieving a traumatic event or simply constantlyremembering the frightening elements of such an event. With this mind,Blankenship, (2017) recommends that the key element is considered in thetreatment process if integration of an individuals history and lifeexperiences to allow for the harmonious coexistence of memories. Mostimportantly, ensuring that psychotherapy prevents or eliminates avoidance playsan instrumental role in minimizing symptoms related to PTSD. This is becauseavoidance has been found to be a major influence in a continual experience ofreliving traumatic events. Prevalence of PTSD among veterans and the extreme consequences ofsuffering from this mental illness is reason enough for mental practitioners toseek out treatment options that are effective. Different patients have beenfound to react differently to the various psychotherapy and medicationtreatments available. For instance, while certain medications such asantidepressants and SSRIS have worked effectively in terms of reducing PTSDsymptoms and improving quality of life for some patients, there are some whohave seen little difference with this method of treatment. The ineffectivenessof a single form of treatment has resulted in the inclusion of the use of bothpsychotherapy and medication as the guideline for treating PTSD. Some of the common psychotherapytreatment utilized for the treatment of PTSD include Reprocessing and StressInoculation therapy (SIT), Virtual Reality Exposure (VRE), Eye MovementDesensitization, Prolonged Exposure Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy(CBT).Art therapy and PTSD Art therapy is a treatment option for patient combat-related PTSDthat although has been utilized for many years is still not considered as amajor psychotherapy treatment option. However, in recent years, art therapy hasgained more spotlight based on case studies and research projects that haveindicated and supported its effectiveness in reducing trauma-related symptomsand at the same time improving the lives of veterans suffering from PTSD.Research from Jones, Walker, Masino & Kaimal (2017), indicates thattheorists have identified neurological and psychological mechanisms associatedor rather thought to be operating in art therapy. These mechanisms are in turnindicated to have unique capabilities that promote the reduction of symptomsand subsequently recovery from PTSD. There are variousfeatures that have made art therapy recommendable and considered highly effectiveat the same time. One of the features that have made art therapy a go-to formof treatment is the nature of its operation in the sense that it is undoubtedlythe least physically and mentally invasive psychotherapy from of treatment. Inthis perspective, it has been reported that more veterans are opting andpreferring to use this method of treatment because of its simple nature oftreatment. Art therapy offers veterans with PTSD with a way to communicate in avisual language which is useful especially to individuals who cannot use wordsor find it hard to describe the trauma they experienced in words. Communicationof any form is an important part of the healing process in treating PTSD. Oneof the major drawbacks to the existing psychotherapy treatments is avoidanceand numbing which limit the effectiveness of various treatment options.However, when it comes to art therapy, patients are provided with analternative form of communication hence expressing themselves in a much moreeffective manner through the art-making process. Art therapy has been found to significantly reduce symptoms of PTSDsuch as emotional numbing, hyperarousal, intrusive thoughts, and avoidance.Considering that traumatic experiences are often difficult to express andexternalize, patients often resort to generally trying to ignore and avoidingto talk about these episodes. At the same time, these experiences are oftenimprinted in visual areas of the brain which then makes it difficult to ignoreof numb. However, art therapy offers a way for the patient to not only expressbut at the same release the tension associated with these traumaticexperiences. Working through phase coding in art therapy enables patients tochange the coding of the traumatic event and eventually integrate it with thepersonality while connecting or associating it with other thoughts and feelingswhich are under the control of the patient. Consequently, intrusive re-livingof the traumatic event is transformed into merely remembering which has fewerimpacts or effects. Exploring art therapy Art therapy is a formof treatment that explores creating a new trauma narrative that clearly definesthe past, present, and future. Research data showcases that PTSD distortstraumatic memories that have invaded the present mindset. This allows forexternalization and most importantly sharing of these traumatic memories thatcan easily become part of an individuals story without necessarilyrepresenting the true being of this person. The mode of action that isimportant in art therapy and which is greatly associated with effectiveness inreducing PTSD related symptoms is the reintegration process which takes placewhen the present and the past of an individuals history is joined through thecreation of a new narrative. Additionally, different aspects such asself-esteem are boosted in the process which also facilitates the healingprocess. Research and developments in neuroscience have provided usefulinformation about different parts of the brain responsible for the verbalprocess of traumatic events. In this perspective, brain imaging has shown thatwhen recounting traumatic events, victims experience two main processes thathelp to understand the effectiveness of art therapy in traumatic relatedtherapy. That is, for such individuals when recounting the traumatic eventsthat they underwent experience a shut down in the Broca area of the brain whichis responsible for language and at the same time showcase arousal of theamygdala. This then helps to explain why individuals with PTSD find it relativelydifficult to verbally express their emotions. However, art therapy initiatesactivation of the right brain which then promotes less reliance on verballanguage (Lobban, 2016). This helps to explain or understand more on why arttherapy is relatively more effective in treating trauma-related disorders. Method This study employed a cross-sectional design involving sampling froma single group of veterans who had undergone an art therapy block of treatment.There was a total of 50 veterans who took place in this experiment all of whomwere part of various treatment programs. The inclusion criteria for this studywas that the participants were to have been diagnosed with PTSD and also provento be combat related. At the same time, participants in the program wererequired not to be currently using any drugs alcohol and also not experiencingactive psychosis. All veterans in the selected group met at least one of theanxiety related disorders or PTSD. Allthe veterans in the sample completed questionnaires, during and after the studyto indicate their progress in dealing with or reducing symptoms of PTSD andtheir thoughts on the effectiveness of art therapy.Participants There was a total of 50 veterans who took place in this study andthe total amount of time spent on art therapy was 2 months. Among the 50veterans that took place in the study, 20 were female and 30 of them were male.The minimum age for participation in the study was 18 years but most of theparticipants were in their late in their late 30s. The average age of theparticipants was 28 years old while the age ranged from 18 years to 4o yearsold. The participants came from different ethnic groups as the aim of thisstudy was to showcase the effectiveness of art therapy for all veterans withPTSD regardless of ethnicity. Most of these individuals had served for morethan 5 years in the military and had been involved in active combat duty duringtheir active years. Recruitment was done through an online platform incollaboration with the local resource center. Participants were compensated bybeing provided with transport allowance that would cover for the expensesincurred to participate in the study. Materials and ProcedureThe PTSD checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) and the Becks DepressionInventory was used on the participants before, during and after starting theart therapy. These were used to measure the changes experienced by participantsand to analyze the impact that art therapy had on the diagnosis of PTSD. Therewas two form of measures utilized in the study namely qualitative andquantitative sections. These were used in the questionnaire to determine theimpact and attitude that participants have towards art therapy before and atthe end of the study. Quantitative questions used a five-point Likert scalewhile the qualitative section allowed participants to provide free textcomments about their experience and the changes they have undergone (Belkofer& Konopka, 2008). The study included different forms of art therapy including but notlimited to panting and music therapy. Participants were divided into differentgroups and given art-related assignments to complete and the required topresent during the next meeting. There was a minimum of two sessions every weekthat lasted about 3 hours. In each session, participants would present theirassignment and also comment on the presentations of other groups. Participatingor presenting was on a voluntary basis and whenever a participant felt like heor she could not participate in group therapy for that session, he or she wouldbe excused but required to complete individual art therapy. At the end of everysession, participants would be required to fill out a questionnaire aboutprogress made and changes noted or even state cases where they do not feel likethere is any change. There were two questions asked in the quantitative part of thequestionnaires at the end of the study. The first question asked participantsto rate the effectiveness of the sessions considering the statement I foundthe art sessions useful. The ratings in the questionnaire were from 1=strongly disagree to 5= strongly agree. The second question asked participantsto consider the statement I intend to continue with art therapy and wouldrecommend it to other individuals with PTSD with ratings varying from 1=definitely not to 5= definitely. The qualitative part of the questionnaireprovided participants with free text comments to provide additional informationguided with the question Please tell us what you found most helpful orinteresting about the art therapy sessions. The data was collected over a spanof 2 months which was the duration of the study. ResultsQuantitative findingsIn total, 50 veterans which account for 100 percent of the samplecompleted the question of I found the art sessions useful where 1= stronglydisagree and 5- strongly agree. The mean score of this question was 4.43 with astandard deviation of 0.0682. The table below showcases the distribution of theresponses among the sample.Table 1: Distribution of results on sampleOn the other question I intend to continue with art therapy andwould recommend it to other individuals with PTSD with ratings varying from 1=definitely not to 5= definitely, a total of 49 veterans which caters for 99percent of the sample completed the question. The mean score for this questionwas 4.15 and the standard deviation was 0.925. The table below shows thedistribution of the ratings in the sample utilized. Table 2: Distribution of ratings for the sample Qualitative findings The analysis method that was utilized to gather results in thequalitative part of the study was inductive content analysis. Three majorthemes were drawn out of the qualitative question Please tell us what youfound most helpful or interesting about the art therapy sessions. The majortheme drawn from this question were; improved ability to not only access but atthe same time express difficult feelings and emotions; the experience ofsharing and being with cohort; and the environmental aspect. Further analysisof the data indicated that within each of the above there themes were minorthemes. The first major them form the data indicated that the experience orrather ability to share the experience with others is supplemented with minorthemes of art facilitating communication within the group which in turn createsbonding and the second one being that listening to the experiences of othershelped to normalize the issues faced. The second major theme of exploring difficult feelings is describedby minor themes of using art as a method of expressions emotions that are innormal context difficult to voice and also the fact that art therapy helps tounlock emotions and feelings that were previously deemed inaccessible. Thefinal major theme is the environmental aspects and how it influences thetherapy as well as adding value to the process. The minor theme described inthis third theme is the calming and relaxing effects of the atmosphere and theeffectiveness of using different materials.DiscussionThe aim of this research was to explore the effectiveness of arttherapy for veterans suffering from PTSD. The study used mixed methods of theart design to view it suitability in helping to reduce the symptoms of PTSD andimprove lives of participants. Veterans who took part in the study highly ratedart therapy and its usefulness. According to the results obtained from thestudy, more than half of the veterans who took part in the study found that theart therapy sessions were useful. Most importantly, the majority of theveterans also not only certified that they would continue to apply theknowledge they gained from the art therapy sessions but at the same timeextended that they would recommend this form of treatment to individualundergoing similar mental issues. These findings, therefore, imply that theveterans were not only engaged in the therapy sessions but at the same timefound the process to be useful in improving the state of their mind andconsequently reducing symptoms of their mental illness. This also has theimplication that provides support for the effectiveness of art therapy for thetreatment of this group of individuals.The themes are drawn from the qualitative data also provide furtherinsight into the perception and experience that the veterans had during the 2months of art therapy. From the first theme, it is shown that one of the mostuseful aspects of art therapy is that it facilitates communication which helpsin the formation of bonding relationships among participants. Implications associatedwith the formation of bonding relationships is that this improves on theability of participants to connect with others and at the same time increasingthe social support (Collie, Backos, Malchiodi & Spiegel, 2006). Secondly,shared perspectives during art therapy have a positive effect on normalizingmental health issues. Normalizing, in this case, has the implication ofencouraging individuals to reach out and seek help when struggling. The secondtheme pointed out that art therapy was instrumental in helping the veterans toexplore difficult feelings. One way through which this process helped to dealwith the difficult feelings is by offering an alternative way of expression andalso that it helped to unlock some emotions which the veterans were unawareexisted within them. These two major themes help to point out the importance ofunderstanding the psychological mechanism that veterans suffering from PTSDundergo when they relive the atraumatic event. Understanding this mechanismplays a huge role in determining the suitable treatment options. Most importantly, the fact that theveterans were able to recognize or under their needs indicates that art therapyis effective in its own way. this further suggests that veterans are indeedengaging and not undergoing a therapeutic experience in art therapy. Thisconsequently supports the inclusion of art therapy as a reliable and effectivetreatment plan for PTSD in veterans. Additionally, the theme that describes theusefulness of art therapy in enabling veterans to express or even accessdifficult emotions suggests that art therapy may have a much more valuable rolein cases where veterans with PTSD are finding it hard to engage in traditionalviable therapeutic approaches. This supports the notion that art therapyaccessed non-verbal processing of information which is as effective as theverbal processing of information (Ramirez, 2016). The third major them from the analysis of the qualitative data isthat the environment provided by art therapy plays a key role in therehabilitation process. That is, the soothing atmosphere created has a positiveimpact. This comes from the fact that different forms of art utilize differentenvironments which can be a relief from the normal setting that a patient isused to of often subjected to during other treatment forms. Additionally, theuse of different materials provides creative and innovative ways for veteransto express their feelings. For instance, when drawing, a participant cancommunicate by sketching images that haunt him or her which can help others tounderstand their perspective. In the same way, music can be utilized to writelyrics that closely associate with what a person experiences hence finding anindirect way of communicating with others (American Art Therapy Association,2016). This theme provides useful and practical implications for how arttherapy can be presented to clients in a way that is acceptable to them.at thesame time, this also provides information about how other therapeutic processesare different from art therapy in terms of the approaches utilized. Further implications of this study fall on the analysis that groupart therapy is more beneficial for the population with PTSD. This notionthrough research and this case study has been proven true among veterans.According to Lobban, 2016), utilizing group art therapy has been linked topositive results including reducing the feeling of isolation, negativeuniqueness and most of all mistrust among PTSD population. At the same time, groupart therapy is associated with reducing isolation amount veterans with PTSD andat the same time confronting avoidance issues that are a great hindrance to thetreatment process. Generally, veterans have an appreciation for others whoshare the same military life experience. The utilization of group therapy,therefore, offers a mutual understanding and support to other veterans whichfacilitate coming to the aid of others and creation of a safe place wheremembers of the group can express various emotions including fear, sadness,anger etc. most importantly, group dynamics provides an avenue for veteranswith PTSD to give and receive feedback and most of all learn from each otherhence creating an overall sense of encouragement and belongingLimitations This research employed a substantial sample from a group of veteranssuffering from PTSD. The sample was homogeneous in the sense that it onlyincluded veterans with PTSD without any other mental problems andcomplications. Therefore, although the discussions offer a generalizedconclusion about treatment options and suitability of art therapy to veteranswith PTSD, this study is only limited to veterans suffering from PTSDexclusively. The sample is limited for the purpose of sampling. Therefore, it ispossible that individuals with lower acceptability of compatibility with arttherapy did not complete or were not part of the study conducted. Anotherlimitation regards the fact that there is an instance where individuals may lieof offer responses that are not true and this could impact on the results.Current and past research has shown that there is a significantlydifferent or rather improvement in veterans with PTSD and undertaking arttherapy as the treatment option. Art therapy offers a different or ratheralternative way for an individual to cope up with events traumatizing them andmost importantly to share them and transfer them to a place where they cancontrol them. The study conducted on the 50 participants only solidified thatart therapy is indeed effective in treating PTSD among veterans and should belisted officially as an alternative treatment for this mental illness.References American Art Therapy Association . (2013). Retrieved from https://www.arttherapy.org/upload/whatisarttherapy.pdfBelkofer, C., & Konopka, L. (2008). Conducting art therapy research using quantitative EEG measures. Art Therapy, 25 (2), 5663Blankenship, D. M. (2017, Oct). Five effeicacious treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder: An empirical review. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 39(4), 275-255. doi:10.17744/mehc.39.4.01Campbell, M., P., D. K., Kurk, K., & Deaver, S. P. (2016). Art therapy and cognitive processing therapy for combat-related PTSD: A randomized controlled trail. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 33(4), 169-177.Collie, K., Backos, A., Malchiodi, C., & Spiegel, D. (2006). Art therapy for combat-related PTSD: Recommendations for research and practice. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 23(4), 157-164.Jones, J. P., Walker, M. S., Masino, D. J., & Kaimal, G. (2017, Nov 1). Art therapy interventions for active duty military service members with post-traumatic stress disorder an traumatic brain injury. International Journal of Art Therapy, 23(2), 70-85. doi:10.1080/17454832.2017.1388263Lobban, J. (2016). Factors that influence engagment in an inpatient art therapy group for veterans with post traumatic stress disorder. International Journal Of Art Therapy, 21(1), 15-22. doi:10.1080/17454832.2015.1124899Mandic-Gajic, G., & Spiric, Z. (2016). Posttraumatic stress disorder and art group therapy: self-sexpression of traumatic inner world war veterans. Vojnosanit Pregl, 73(8), 757-763. doi:10.2298/vsp150512083mRamirez, J. (2016, April). A review of art therapy amoung military service members and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Journal of Military and Veterans Health, 24(2), 40-51.U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.). Retrieved from PTSD: National Center for PTSD: https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/assessment/adult-sr/ptsd-checklist.aspGet Help With Your AssignmentIf you need assistance with writing your assignment, our professional assignment writing service is here to help!Find out more
