This study aimed to examine the effects of an art therapy program on enhancing self-esteem and reducing anxiety in a middle-aged woman with alcohol dependence. The participant was a woman in her mid-50s with alcohol dependence residing in City A. A to...
This study aimed to examine the effects of an art therapy program on enhancing self-esteem and reducing anxiety in a middle-aged woman with alcohol dependence. The participant was a woman in her mid-50s with alcohol dependence residing in City A. A total of 17 art therapy sessions were conducted 1-2 times per week for 60 minutes each, spanning from March 11 to June 5, 2025. Research instruments consisted of the Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The HTP and PPAT assessments were conducted at pre- and post-test stages for comparison. Qualitative analysis was also performed through observation of the participant's activities throughout sessions and phases.
The findings are as follows. First, art therapy demonstrated positive effects on enhancing self-esteem in the middle-aged woman with alcohol dependence. In the HTP pre-test, the participant depicted a figure with minimized or omitted hands and feet, and ambiguous gender presentation, suggesting low self-esteem and sensitivity to others' perceptions. In the post-test, the detailed rendering of tree branches, more concrete expression of windows and the front door in the house drawing, stabilized gender distinction in the human figure, and enlarged hands and feet appear to indicate meaningful changes in communication with family members, self-awareness, attitude toward life, and perception of reality.
Second, art therapy demonstrated positive effects on reducing anxiety in the middle-aged woman with alcohol dependence. In the pre-test PPAT drawing assessment, the participant depicted the tree, person, and flowers in equal sizes, which appeared to reflect distorted reality perception and unstable emotions. However, in the post-test, the sizes and forms of objects were portrayed more realistically, suggesting improved reality perception and reduced emotional distortion, indicating decreased anxiety.
Third, positive changes were observed through qualitative analysis of the impact of art therapy on self-esteem and anxiety in the middle-aged woman with alcohol dependence. Qualitative analysis revealed that as sessions progressed, the participant's initially negative self-perception shifted toward improved self-esteem through experiences of positive support and acceptance, while anxiety decreased through the externalization of internalized negative emotions. This experience of art therapy resulted in enhanced self-esteem and reduced anxiety in the middle-aged woman with alcohol dependence, contributing to positive changes in self-confidence and interpersonal interactions.
In conclusion, these findings demonstrate the positive impact of art therapy on enhancing self-esteem and reducing anxiety in middle-aged women with alcohol dependence. This study is significant in that it demonstrates the applicability of art therapy for addressing psychological and emotional difficulties in middle-aged women with alcohol dependence and provides empirical case evidence.
* Keywords: Art Therapy, Alcohol Dependence, Middle-Aged Women, Self-Esteem, Anxiety