{"title":"Your life within me: Exploring a visual art journal group intervention for women who experienced stillbirth","authors":"Maya Gronner Shamai, Einat Metzl","doi":"10.1016/j.aip.2025.102269","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The paper presents the results of a pilot study, of a 6-week art therapy group for mothers grieving the loss of their stillborn baby. The intervention encompassed weekly artmaking within a visual journal and group dialogue inspired by the Two-Track Model of Bereavement and art-based grief processing models. The research explored the potential usefulness through a mixed-methods design, which included comparisons of pre- and post-intervention measures of emotional regulation and measures of ongoing internal relationship with the deceased, as well as the participants’ perception of the intervention’s meaning captured through art-based interviews. Results indicated statistical trends of the quantitative measures toward increased emotional regulation, well-being, and a strengthened relationship with the deceased. The thematic analysis highlighted the challenges of coping with stillbirth as a profound, often ambiguous, and unacknowledged loss. Participants found that acknowledging their relationship with the deceased, participating in a support group, and maintaining a visual journal were particularly helpful. The discussion integrated findings with art therapy and medical considerations for this often under-addressed and societally untold loss.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47590,"journal":{"name":"Arts in Psychotherapy","volume":"93 ","pages":"Article 102269"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Arts in Psychotherapy","FirstCategoryId":"102","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S019745562500022X","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The paper presents the results of a pilot study, of a 6-week art therapy group for mothers grieving the loss of their stillborn baby. The intervention encompassed weekly artmaking within a visual journal and group dialogue inspired by the Two-Track Model of Bereavement and art-based grief processing models. The research explored the potential usefulness through a mixed-methods design, which included comparisons of pre- and post-intervention measures of emotional regulation and measures of ongoing internal relationship with the deceased, as well as the participants’ perception of the intervention’s meaning captured through art-based interviews. Results indicated statistical trends of the quantitative measures toward increased emotional regulation, well-being, and a strengthened relationship with the deceased. The thematic analysis highlighted the challenges of coping with stillbirth as a profound, often ambiguous, and unacknowledged loss. Participants found that acknowledging their relationship with the deceased, participating in a support group, and maintaining a visual journal were particularly helpful. The discussion integrated findings with art therapy and medical considerations for this often under-addressed and societally untold loss.
期刊介绍:
The Arts in Psychotherapy is a dynamic, contemporary journal publishing evidence-based research, expert opinion, theoretical positions, and case material on a wide range of topics intersecting the fields of mental health and creative arts therapies. It is an international peer-reviewed journal publishing 5 issues annually. Papers are welcomed from researchers and practitioners in the fields of art, dance/movement, drama, music, and poetry psychotherapy, as well as expressive and creative arts therapy, neuroscience, psychiatry, education, allied health, and psychology that aim to engage high level theoretical concepts with the rigor of professional practice. The journal welcomes contributions that present new and emergent knowledge about the role of the arts in healthcare, and engage a critical discourse relevant to an international readership that can inform the development of new services and the refinement of existing policies and practices. There is no restriction on research methods and review papers are welcome. From time to time the journal publishes special issues on topics warranting a distinctive focus relevant to the stated goals and scope of the publication.