Art as a Coping Mechanism of Reality

Abstract

Studies on (MHPs) who are exposed to a common combat experience show that they, too, might suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and vicarious trauma. During the 2014 Gaza crisis, 51 MHPs participated in a CB-ART (cognitive behavioural and art-based) intervention to help their clients cope with the trauma of war. The intervention consisted of three stages: (1) drawing drawings about war-related stressors; (2) drawing pictures about coping resources; and (3) combining the stressful image with the coping resources drawing. Three narratives of the drawings and their constructed characteristics were investigated, and it was determined which of several possible integrated drawing formats and compositional changes of the stressful image is most strongly correlated with greater distress reduction. The intervention seems to have greatly reduced MHPs' levels of distress. Compositional variations between the "stress drawing" and the "integrated picture," which incorporates components of support, corroborated the calming impact of the latter. Compositional changes to the stressful picture resulted in less discomfort. The simple technique outlined here may also be used by MHPs as a coping mechanism in other high-pressure settings.