This thesis is an empirical research on the influences of the art therapy to a blind child, especially the influences on her negative emotion triggered by her own disability.
For this research, I practised fifty five times of art therapy session with...
This thesis is an empirical research on the influences of the art therapy to a blind child, especially the influences on her negative emotion triggered by her own disability.
For this research, I practised fifty five times of art therapy session with a blind child(totally blind) from the 20th March 2004 to the 28th Feburary 2006. One session lasted seventy or ninety minutes. The session followed Indirect method instead of direct method analyzing her own personal issues and her social and psychological conditions. Moreover, I encouraged her to decide on the materials and subject matters and to make works with her choices in order to bring out her own inner world. Since a child is totally blind, I asked her to use another senses such as touching, hearing and smelling when making works.
After the research on art therapy with a blind child, I found the following results.
Firstly, art therapy helped a blind child understand her own problems and express it more freely, leading her to experience emotional liberation and stability. Based on friendly and trusting relationship with a researcher and a child, a blind child could express her own negative feelings and had a emotional catharsis. Therefore, she could confront her various feelings and objectify them only to understand herself more and to cope with psychological and social stresses more easily.
Secondly, a child, turning positive, increased her own self-expression. Based on the support and acceptance of the researcher, a child could participate freely and have choices and strong motivations to express her own self.
Thirdly, a child enhanced her capacity to deal with devices and materials. Repeated use of materials and art devices made her able to use them more easily and to make more completed works. Through this process, a child felt confidence and achievement.
Fourthly, a child could develop her other remaining senses more in addition to strong imagination and creativity.
As a result, I argue that art therapy is very useful and helpful for a blind child to have a better life.
This research is the first research on the art therapy for a blind child. I hope that this will trigger other researches and change people''''''''s ideas that blind children cannot be treated with art therapy.