| Title: |
Addressing Gaps in Pediatric Mental Healthcare by Removing Barriers: A School-Based Integrated Model for Group Art Therapy |
| Language: |
English |
| Authors: |
Katie Hinson Sullivan; Erin Scherder; Laura Allen; Daniel L. Brinton (ORCID 0000-0002-7888-6708); Anne Crosswell; Elise Gruber; Janice Key (ORCID 0000-0001-9131-6489); Kathleen C. Head (ORCID 0000-0003-1130-6243) |
| Source: |
Psychology in the Schools. 2025 62(8):2362-2372. |
| Availability: |
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us |
| Peer Reviewed: |
Y |
| Page Count: |
11 |
| Publication Date: |
2025 |
| Document Type: |
Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive |
| Education Level: |
Elementary Education |
| Descriptors: |
Art Therapy; Mental Health; School Health Services; Elementary School Students; Multi Tiered Systems of Support; Group Therapy; Interpersonal Competence |
| Geographic Terms: |
South Carolina |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: |
Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire |
| DOI: |
10.1002/pits.23471 |
| ISSN: |
0033-3085; 1520-6807 |
| Abstract: |
In the fall of 2021, experts declared a national emergency in children's mental health, urging organizations to put in place school-based mental health care services to reduce barriers and increase access to care. This paper describes implementation and acceptability of an innovative school-based model to deliver group art therapy that is integrated into the school's Muti-Tiered System of Supports, and changes in student social-emotional competencies that occurred in association with participation. The 7-week pilot was implemented in three successive semesters, serving 280 elementary students. Guardians completed Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQ) before and after the intervention to describe changes in student social-emotional competencies. SDQ data suggest improvement in internalizing symptoms amongst participants (n = 17, mean decrease in 1.7 points [95% CI: 0.2-3.2]; p = 0.0314). Guardians surveyed (n = 12) strongly agreed that art therapy programs should be continued in the school and that the art therapy process gave their child an alternative form of safe expression [4.88 and 4.75 out of 5 (SD = 0.14 and 0.29), respectively]. All students completed the program. Cost was $170.00 per child. This school-based group art therapy model was found feasible and acceptable, and if scaled, can impact a large population of children with barriers to mental healthcare access. |
| Abstractor: |
As Provided |
| Entry Date: |
2025 |
| Accession Number: |
EJ1477308 |
| Database: |
ERIC |