ART THERAPY IN PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTIONS FOR PERSONS WITH NEUROPSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS: A CASE SERIES FROM THE TERTIARY CARE CENTRE abstract

Background: Neurological illness can result in significant physical, psychological, financial, and livelihood disequilibrium. Impairment in functioning and associated sequelae can exacerbate psychological distress, especially in long-term chronic neurological conditions. Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy categorised as expressive art, which assists in eliciting information from clients and facilitating coping and alleviating distress. Applying various approaches based on expressive art therapy is an effective tool for psychosocial interventions, but it has not been well explored in the Indian context. Materials and Methods: There are four case scenarios where art therapy interventions were carried out with clients presenting with chronic neuropsychiatric disorders receiving in-patient treatment from a tertiary referral care centre for Neuropsychiatry in South India. The case series describes the exposure to art therapy as part of the intervention. The clients were interviewed in the routine psychosocial care services, and art therapy was used as a medium to facilitate emotional expression and support. Thematic analysis was done to identify factors conceptualized from expressive art therapy and interventions provided during in patient care. Results: This case series attempts to understand the feasibility of using art therapy among persons with neurological conditions to enhance psychosocial functioning. The clients found art helpful in expressing their emotions, facilitating the therapeutic process. Art therapy sessions could help the service providers enhance their skills in establishing therapeutic alliances as well as elicit psychological components of distress among persons with neurological disorders. Conclusion: Art therapy has some therapeutic benefits, including the ability to address various psychosocial issues related to illness, particularly in the psychological sphere, and it is possible to adopt art therapy in a clinical setting.