EXHIBITION STATEMENT

Introduction

According to the American College Health Association’s fall 2021 report, 78.9% of college students experienced moderate to high levels of stress within the last 30 days (American College Health Association 14). As a Psychology major, an artist, and of course, an Arts Scholars student, I have always been fascinated by mental health and healthcare accessibility, as well as by art and its great potential to spark change. For my Arts Scholars Capstone project, I conducted an exploration into art therapy and its subsequent benefits and drawbacks. Drawing on extensive research, I developed a plan that culminated in an art therapy workshop for college students.

Literature Review

Art therapy is a practice shown to be beneficial because it is nonverbal and consequently a more accessible treatment form, can be metaphorical, is sensory-based, and yields a tangible product (Sonnone and Rochford). Engaging with therapeutic artmaking has been found to create meaning (or at the least, distraction) and mood enhancement (Smolarski et al.). Vincent Van Gogh is cited as an early inspiration for this manner of thinking, as he wanted to comfort viewers of his work through the type of art he produced, expanding beyond its therapeutic benefits for him in his individual creativity processes (Congdon).

My research differs from that already published in that my project aims to explore therapeutic artmaking in a non-clinical setting. While clinical work has its benefits, it is often inaccessible, particularly for college students. My project aims to bridge this gap by educating students about art therapy and introducing related skills and resources.

Methods

I recruited participants by creating a digital flyer and posting it online through newsletters, group chats, and social media. 27 participants attended the workshop, which I opened with an introduction about myself and my project. I then administered the pre-activity survey, which is based on the Brief Mood Introspection Scale, which is used to measure affective mood levels (Mayer). Once that was completed, I shared two prompt options with participants (create a drawing to express current feelings of stress or draw something that makes you happy), after which markers, pens, pencils, and crayons were used to produce art (Dunn-Snow and D’Amelio, Smolarski et al.). After the activity, participants completed the post-activity survey, which was the same as the pre-activity survey, but with an additional consent section.

Audience & Impact

My workshop audience is college students, specifically UMD students. Although my workshop was open to the public, since it took place on the UMD campus, my expectation (and the reality) was that only UMD students would come. I chose this audience not only due to convenience but because college students in particular are known to experience great levels of distress, due in part to major transitional challenges (Sonnone and Rochford).

My hope is that the impact of this project will produce for participants a short-term positive change in mood and a long-term positive change in the practice of therapeutic artmaking. My data analysis showed an increase in positive affect after activity completion: a 5.64% increase in feelings of pleasantness, 1.09% increase in arousal, 3.64% increase in positivity, and 2.14% decrease in negativity. My capstone has furthered my personal, mental, social, and academic journeys in that it has made me a stronger Arts Scholar/Psychology major (one that can make meaningful connections and apply them in a positive manner), a more deeply connected individual (more in tune with the emotions and needs of myself and others), and a more considerate student overall (more academically contemplative, and better able to prioritize certain options). As a future mental health practitioner, I am increasingly interested in pursuing art therapy as a professional outcome.

References

American College Health Association. “Reference Group Executive Summary Fall 2021.” American College Health Association, American College Health Association, 10 Feb. 2022, https://www.acha.org/documents/ncha/NCHA-III_FALL_2021_REFERENCE_GROUP_EXECUTIVE_SUMMARY.pdf.

Dunn-Snow, Peggy, and Georgette D’Amelio. “How Art Teachers Can Enhance Artmaking as a Therapeutic Experience: Art Therapy and Art Education.” Art Education, vol. 53, no. 3, National Art Education Association, 2000, pp. 46–53, https://doi.org/10.2307/3193873.

Mayer, John D. Brief Mood Introspection Scale (BMIS): Technical and Scoring Manual (2nd Edition). 6 Apr. 2018, https://mypages.unh.edu/sites/default/files/jdmayer/files/bmis-technical_supplement_for_scoring.pdf.

Smolarski, Kayla, et al. “Reducing Negative Mood Through Drawing: Comparing Venting, Positive Expression, and Tracing.” Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 13 Nov. 2015, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283789482_Reducing_Negative_Mood_Through_Drawing_Comparing_Venting_Positive_Expression_and_Tracing.

Sonnone, A., & Rochford, J. S. (2020). Wellness at universities: A group art therapy approach. Journal of College Counseling, 23(2), 168–179. https://doi-org.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/10.1002/jocc.12157.

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank my faculty advisor and professor, Heather Bremenstuhl, as well as the other faculty members within the Arts Scholars program, Harold Burgess and Gabi Tillenburg. I also want to extend my gratitude to all of the participants in my workshop, as this project wouldn’t have been possible without them. Lastly, I want to note my appreciation for all of my fellow Arts Scholars for their support and feedback throughout this process.