The paper discusses the six major ego functions, ego disturbances in mentally retarded children, and case examples of the use of art therapy to promote ego development. Identified are the following ego functions: control and regulation of instinctual drives, autonomous functions, reality testing, object relationships, defense, and synthesis. The…

Examines the depiction of face features and limb extremities in the self-portraits of 98 35- to 85-year olds. Discusses results from a psychoanalytic perspective. The difficulties in representing the hands are discussed in relation to castration. The absence of face features in some of the elderly's drawings could indicate a minimal age-related…

Stories of adults participating in an art-making group designed to increase self-understanding show that art making, play, and experimentation in a place apart from everyday life enabled them to reclaim neglected aspects of the self and to explore and change their metaphorical self-portraits. (SK)

Summarizes cross-cultural studies of cognitive skills, emotions, and self-images found in responses to drawing tasks by children, adolescents, and adults. Its aim is to find out whether cultural differences in scores on the Silver Drawing Test can illuminate cultural preferences and contribute to cultural practices. (Contains 21 references.) (GCP)

Using stories, illustrates some universal points regarding counseling. Claims that stories can help counselors understand the process of discovering their own identities and that outside knowledge can create new possibilities that lead to change. Emphasizes the blending of self-understanding with relevant outside knowledge. (RJM)

Reports on therapeutic outcomes resulting from use of idiomatic expression in group art therapy with children with Attention Deficit Disorder or Hyperactivity and related disorders who are in the latency stage. Major issues emerged related to self-concept, peer socialization, and family relations. Idioms were shown to stimulate affective-laden…

Studied whether a source of depression in men (n=5) originated from conflicts in sex role expectations. Subjects completed the Beck Depression Inventory, Depression Coping Questionnaire, Bem Sex Role Inventory, and four drawings depicting their male roles and self-concept. Sex Role conflict was correlated to subjects' presenting problems at…

Violent incidents occur frequently in schools and suicide ranks second to accidents as the leading cause of death among adolescents. The purpose of this presentation is to summarize the findings of six studies that used a stimulus-drawing task for access to fantasies, thoughts, and feelings. The studies were based on the theory that the task can…

Reviews some of the literature on seriously ill children and the use of art in counseling these children. Discusses self-concept, spontaneous drawings, and counseling techniques. Presents and comments on artwork produced in the last 18 months of the life of a young girl with leukemia. (ABL)

The Silver Drawing Test (SDT) and Draw A Story (DAS) test were designed to reveal a person's cognitive and emotional conditions. How these tests were developed and some of the research concerning their efficacy are detailed in this report. It opens with an overview of the SDT. The report then discusses recent studies on the test: "Sex and Age…

One solution for school counselors with regard to their dilemma of greater caseloads and less time is the use of brief or time-limited counseling techniques. Using art when counseling adolescents can achieve this same goal. Article aims to provide secondary school counselors with a step-by-step introduction to the use of art when counseling…

The purpose of this study was to find out if the Draw a Story (DAS) assessment can be used as a screening technique to identify children and adolescents at risk for aggression. Four art therapists presented the DAS tasks to 30 students with histories of aggressive behavior and to 181 students with no histories of aggression. After the 211…

The visual arts lend themselves naturally to contemplation of self. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of art therapy in increasing self-awareness of participants in an art therapy class are examined. The independent variables under consideration were participation status, university classification, type of instruction, and…

Examined the effect of group art therapy on maternal self image and self esteem as well as on the quality of interactions between mother and child. It was hypothesized that group art therapy would improve maternal self esteem and self image and, in turn, foster positive mother-child interactions. (BF)

Research has shown that too little stress or stimulation can increase health risks. To determine the effectiveness of mild stimulation on the depression levels and feelings of self-worth of the elderly, 24 withdrawn nursing home residents participated in a non-judgemental 6-month art expression group. Half the group were assigned to a control…