ART THERAPY
INTERVENTIONS
FOR AUTISTIC
CHILDREN
Presentation title
INTRODUCTION
Autism, a developmental disability, is a part of life that affects
many people from all backgrounds. It is not an uncommon
diagnosis, and there are even more autistic people who are
undiagnosed. There has been a positive focus in the autistic
community away from trying to find the cure or cause of autism,
but rather learning to listen to autistic people in what would help
support a happy, healthy life. Autism is early onset, in childhood,
and as such support at these stages is vital for successful
development. Art therapy can be a fulfilling way to promote
expression, which can be difficult for autistic individuals,
especially children. It can be utilized to improve self-perception,
expression, and reaction to sensory stimuli.
2
OVERVIEW OF AUTISM
DSM-5 and ASAN Descriptions
4
DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA
SOCIAL COMMUNICATION
I. DEFICITS IN SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL RECIPROCITY
II. DEFICITS IN NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION
III. DEFICITS IN RELATIONAL SKILLS
RESTRICTED OR REPETITIVE PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR
I. USE OF REPETITIVE MOVEMENTS
II. ADHERENCE TO CONSISTENCY
III. ABNORMAL PERVASIVE INTERESTS/FIXATIONS
IV. HYPO- OR HYPERREACTIVITY TO SENSORY STIMULI
Presentation title
EXPERIENCE
5
The way in which
autistic people
process their
thoughts is different
from neurotypical
individuals.
For autistic people,
some stimuli are
overwhelming
because they are
sensitive to these
changes.
The way that
autistic people
move is different
including how they
speak. Speech
requires
coordination.
These previous
factors culminate to
affect communication
which is also different
for autistic people.
COGNITION
SENSATION
COORDINATION
COMMUNICATION
Socialization is
different for autistic
people because,
often, rules of
socialization are made
for neurotypical
people.
“It can take a lot of
energy to live in a
society built for
non-autistic
people”
SOCIALIZATION
ASSISTANCE
IDENTITYFIRST
LANGUAGE
There is a resounding opposition towards language that implies that one suffers from the
condition or the differences or disabilities that it brings. Both person-first and identity-first
are reactions to this. Likewise, there is an effort to emphasize the value and worth of the
person. Supporters of person-first language assert that this is done by literally putting
the word person in front of their disability. While this may be applicable to some
communities (for instance, people with cancer), identity-first supporters believe it is not
for those whose condition has shaped their identity. In this case, person-first language
separates the person from their autism. "[Autism] is an edifying and meaningful
component of a person's identity”. The term autistic person validates and affirms their
identity as an autistic person and sees the values in their differences (L. Brown, 2011).
AUTISTIC
CHILDREN
Autistic children require advocacy because not only
does their disability often leave them out of control
and at a disadvantage but so does their age. Deficits
in social understanding leave many autistic children
feeling confused and as a result vulnerable. Recently
research has moved in the direction of understanding
the bi-directionality of social relationships between
neurotypical people and autistic people.
Presentation title
ACTION FORMS
Action forms are the distinct forms our actions take according to
our mood or affect. Casartrelli (2020a)found that autistic children
did indeed perform their actions with less understanding or
awareness of how they were moving. By asking neurotypical
adults to observe different actions in different vitality forms
(gentle or rude) in a mix of both neurotypical and neurodivergent
children, Casartrelli (2020b) studied their ability to interpret either
child's expressive style. They found that just as hypothesized the
neurotypical participants were less accurate or timely in their
recognition of ASD children's vitality forms in comparison to the
typically developing children.
8
9
VITALITY FORMS ARE CRITICALLY INVOLVED IN EXPRESSING AND
RECOGNIZING OUR OWN MOOD AND EFFECTIVE STATES. MOST OF OUR
ACTIONS ARE CHARACTERIZED BY SPECIFIC VITALITY FORMS IN THE
ABILITY TO IDENTIFY THESE FORMS TAKES A FUNDAMENTAL ROLE IN
SUCCESSFULLY INTERACTING WITH OTHERS
Casartrelli (2020)
Presentation title
ART THERAPY FOR
AUTISTIC CHILDREN
Schweizer et al. combined tactic
knowledge of art therapy
practitioners who work with
autistic children as well as a
literature review and yielded a
framework for typical elements
involved in successful art
therapy for ASD, known as the
COAT model. it is made up of
four components, art therapy
materials, and expressions,
therapeutic behavior, context,
and outcomes.
•
•
10
AT Materials and Expressions.
Refers to handling
materials(Schweizer et al., 2017).
Common elements related to ASD
are described as difficulties talking
about problems during art making at
the beginning of treatment, and by
the end of treatment, they are more
open to working with a great variety
of materials.
Therapeutic Behavior. Refers to the
role of the practitioner to stay
attuned to the needs of the client as
it pertains to support, stimulating
more experiences, and sharing
(Schweizer et al., 2017).
Presentation title
ART THERAPY FOR
AUTISTIC CHILDREN
•
Context. Refers to both the
context in which a child is
referred for art therapy as
well as different treatment
goals typical of their
treatment (Schweizer et al.,
2017). Often children are
referred for insecurity, selfimage, or difficulty focusing.
•
11
Outcomes. Refers to commonly
yielded results from art therapy
(Schweizer et al., 2017). It is
reported by art therapists that
the children end up making
more personal art. They also
described improved self-esteem
and finally more flexible
behavior, for instance, making
choices more easily or bettering
planning skills. Importantly,
these outcomes are also
reported by others in many
areas of life, home, school, etc
(Schweizer et al., 2019).
Presentation title
12
ART THERAPY INTERVENTIONS
BUILD-A-FACE (BAF)
•
Using pre-made facial
features made out of
clay, children were
asked to create
expressions by
attaching them to a
blank mannequin
head.
PORTRAIT DRAWING
ASSESSMENT (PDA)
•
Portrait drawing
between autistic children
and art therapy
practitioners has been
found to be an effective
means of engaging the
child in some settings.
AUGMENTED REALITY
COLORING BOOK (ARCB)
•
A case study by Lee
(2019) on three young
boys showed significant
increases in their ability to
understand the meaning
and importance of
greetings and how to
respond to them through
their ARCB system.
Presentation title
SUMMARY
There has been a resounding need for research in the field of autism.
Expressive therapies, such as art therapy can provide a much-needed
form of expression without the pressure of verbal communication, which
can be exhausting for many autistic children. As we’ve seen, many of the
interventions being studied are only in their infancy, with many more
opportunities for research to be discovered. Furthermore, advocacy
should be at the forefront of any therapist, especially those working with
an autistic client. Resources like ASAN provide insight into the lived
experiences of autistic people. Their message of “Nothing About Us,
Without Us” serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of their
voice.
13
THANK YOU
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