Art therapy with inmates
Running head: PILOT STUDY ON ART THERAPY WITH PRISON INMATES
Art Therapy with Prison Inmates:
A Pilot Study
David Gussak, PhD, ATR-BC
The Florida State University
1
Art therapy with inmates
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Art Therapy With Prison Inmates: A Pilot Study
There are major obstacles for providing therapeutic services in correctional settings.
Many inmates have an inherent mistrust for verbal disclosure, and a well-grounded fear of other
prisoners taking advantage of voiced vulnerabilities. Rigid defenses are developed for basic
survival. Despite these obstacles there has been some support for art therapy as a means to allow
needed expression in such a non-therapeutic environment. Unfortunately, there has been little
structured and quantitative research to actually measure the benefits of art therapy in prison. A
quantitative research pilot study was initiated in the summer of 2003 to measure the effectiveness
of art therapy with prison inmates. This pilot study, presents the methods established, including
the use of the Formal Elements Art Therapy Scale (Gantt & Tabone, 1998) and a pre- and postsurvey designed by the investigator, the results, and future plans for studying the effects of art
therapy with prison inmates.
Literature review
In correctional settings, rigid defenses, manifested through silence, lies and aggressive
acts, are used for basic survival against those that may take advantage of others’ weaknesses.
These create seemingly insurmountable obstacles for therapists. As well, increased illiteracy,
organicity and inability to verbally communicate make it difficult for prison inmates to give
voice to the mental, emotional and/or physical problems they experience (Gussak, 1997a).
Concurrently, there seems to be a natural tendency for artistic and creative expression in prison
settings (Gussak, 1997b; Kornfeld, 1997; Ursprung, 1997). It is understood that such expression
allows for the sublimation of libidinal and aggressive impulses (Dissanayake, 1992; Kramer,
1993; Rank, 1932) and provides a means for escape (Gussak, 1997a; Gussak & CohenLeibman, 2000), natural instinctual impulses for many prison inmates (Fox, 1997). It has also
Art therapy with inmates
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been demonstrated that the act of art making can decrease the number of disciplinary reports
written on inmates who participated in the program (Brewster, 1983), and can help decrease
depressive symptoms, a condition which is pervasive in this environment (Diamond, Wang, &
Giles, 1996; Morgan, 1981). Thus, art therapy can be one of the more beneficial in such a nontherapeutic environment.
The advantages for art therapy in prison have been explored, and Gussak and Virshup
(1997) introduced a number of benefits for art therapy in prison. Such benefits included: taking
advantage of the creativity inherent in the prison society, allowing diversion and escape;
promoting inadvertent unconscious disclosure, even while the client is not compelled to discuss
therapeutic issues verbally, which might leave him/her vulnerable; bypassing rigid defenses,
including pervasive dishonesty. Yet another major benefit is its ability to utilize tasks whose
simplicity result in the expression of “...complex material which would not be available for
communication in any other form...” (Kramer, 1958, p.12-16). It is also believed that the art
therapy helps alleviate mental health issues that are exacerbated in such an unhealthy
environment (Fox, 1997; Woodall, Diamond & Howe, 1997), such as major depression and
schizophrenia, without the inmate and his/her peers even being aware that these issues are being
addressed (Gussak, 1997b; Gussak & Cohen-Leibman, 2000). These advantages have been
expanded to include other correctional environments, including juvenile justice settings
(Bennink, Gussak & Skowran, 2003; Gussak & Ploumis-Devick, 2004). However, these sources,
although enlightening, presented the benefits of art therapy on prison populations through
anecdotal vignettes, and the conclusions on its effects are generally obtained through case studies
(Day & Onorato, 1989; Liebmann, 1994). Unlike previous publications, this study attempted to
Art therapy with inmates
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verify some advantages of art therapy with correctional populations through quantitative
approaches.
Method
A quasi-experimental, single group pre-test/post-test design was implemented for this
study. It was hypothesized that if prison inmates receive art therapy services, then they will
exhibit marked change in their behavior and attitude, and an improvement in their mood,
socialization and problem-solving abilities within the correctional environment.Participants
This pilot study was conducted in a medium to maximum-security male adult correctional
institution in a rural section in Florida’s panhandle. Forty-eight male inmates were provided art
therapy services. The age range for these participants were from 21 to 63 years old. Seventyeight percent of the participants were white, 16 % were black and 7% were Hispanic. A majority
of them (53%) had completed high school or an equivalent (GED) while 7% had attended some
college. Eleven percent never attended high school. For 44% of the participants, this was their
first prison sentence. There crimes ranged from possession and grand larceny to murder. They all
had an Axis I diagnosis such as Major Depression or Bipolar Disorder, Manic Type, and
attended sessions on the day-treatment unit, and 51% were on some form of psychotropic
medication. Measure
Two measures were used. A 6-point Likert Scale pre- and post survey was developed
specifically for this study by the primary investigator. This instrument was developed to compare
and validate the findings from the art-based assessment technique. The prison mental health
counselor completed it on each participant, with the aide of a manual defining each item. This
survey focused primarily on the inmate’s interactions and compliance with prison rules and
expectations, issues deemed important by the staff of the facility. According to the mental health
Art therapy with inmates
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counselor, the pre and post-session surveys were completed after consulting the correctional staff
of the units in which the participants were housed, and through observing them in other groups
that she offered. Otherwise, the mental health counselor was not directly involved with the art
therapy groups. Please refer to Table 1 for the survey items.
Insert Table 1 about here
This survey was based on the anecdotal findings of Brewster (1983), Day and Onorato
(1997) and Gussak (1997) who indicated that those who participate in art and art therapy services
demonstrate a decrease in negative behaviors and an improvement in mood and attitude.
Each client was also asked to complete a drawing using standardized materials of a
person picking an apple from a tree (PPAT) the first day and the last day of sessions. These
drawings were used for a pre-and post project comparison, and were assessed using the Formal
Elements Art Therapy Scale (FEATS) rating guide (Gantt & Tabone, 1998) by the primary
investigator. The FEATS is composed of a 14-point scale with a possible score of 0 through 5
(midpoints are acceptable, i.e., 1.5), focusing on such characteristics as: prominence of color and
color fit; implied energy; space; integration; logic; realism; problem-solving; developmental
level; details; line quality; person; rotation and perseveration. This rating guide was designed
primarily to assess the presence of four major diagnoses: 1) Major Depression; 2) Bipolar
Disorder, Mania; 3) Schizophrenia; and 4) Delirium, Dementia, Amnestic and Other Cognitive.
According to Gantt and Tabone, the diagnostic categories are assessed based on the
ratings of a combination of several characteristics. For example, it is assumed that low ratings in
prominence of color, color fit, energy, space, realism, details and person reflect major depression
(p.26). In this study, although changes were evaluated taking these diagnostic criteria into
consideration, this tool was also used to measure other changes, such as general socialization
Art therapy with inmates
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skills and attitude towards the participating inmates’ situation. It was also assumed, although this
has not been explored in previous studies, that certain characteristics may also be used
independently. For example, if the problem-solving scale demonstrates improvement, then the
inmates may have gained problem-solving abilities over the course of treatment.
Procedure. Art therapy group sessions were conducted on a prison mental health, day
treatment unit four days a week, during a four-week period. Although 48 inmates were divided
up into 6 separate groups, only 44 attended the sessions consistently, of which 39 attended all of
them, including the final session. The unit mental health counselor and the primary investigator
chose the participants from those inmates that had been attending groups offered by the facility’s
counselor.
Each of the 6 groups met twice per week. Thus, each group member was seen 8 times
during the course of the program. Five clinicians led the groups. Each group was co-led by two
art therapists.
Prior to the sessions, the mental health counselor completed the pre-survey on each
participant. The first day of the sessions, each participant was asked to draw a picture of a person
picking an apple from a tree, per the instructions established by Gantt and Tabone (1998). The
art therapists giving the sessions met once a week to compare notes and discuss progress,
responses and possible art therapy directives. The art therapy activities generally depended upon
the direction of the group therapy, but each activity was flexibly structured with specific
directives, and was closely supervised by the art therapy clinicians. However, as a general rule,
the projects developed over the four weeks from simple to complex, and from individual art tasks
to more dynamic interactions and group projects. For example, an early art therapy directive was
an individually drawn name embellishment. Later on, the participants did a draw and pass
Art therapy with inmates
directive; each participant drew an image within five minutes. Once the five minutes were up,
they passed the drawing to their left, and began working on the drawing in front of them for five
minutes. This continued until all of the participants drew on each drawing. The sessions
culminated with a group task, such as asking the group members to design their ideal
environment together or the group’s desired world.
The last day of the sessions, each participant was again asked to draw a picture of a
person picking an apple from a tree. At the conclusion of the pilot sessions, the mental health
counselor completed a post-survey on the remaining members of the group. To empower the
inmates who participated, they were asked to complete a survey during their last group session
about the program to uncover what they each thought of the art therapy sessions, and what they
learned. The survey also asked for feedback on how the program could be improved.
The pre- and post-survey and the FEATS results were analyzed using simple paired ttests to find differences in the pre and post responses. The results of both of these analyses were
compared to ascertain if there was indeed positive change in the participating inmates.
Results
Pre- and Post Survey. Changes on each of the 7 items are presented in Table 2. The N varied on
each scale as the mental health counselor did not complete survey questions that she did not feel
were relevant to each particular client (i.e., if the client was not taking medication, she did not
complete the survey question regarding attitude towards medication for that particular client.).
She also completed a post survey on participants who did not attend all of the sessions. There
were statistically significant changes on all seven items. The effect sizes for each item were
calculated using Cohen’s d equation.
7
Art therapy with inmates
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Insert Table 2 about here
FEATS. Of the 44 consistent participants, 39 completed a post FEATS drawing. Changes
on each of the 14 categories assessed by the FEATS are presented in Table 2. There was
significant change in 7 of the 14 categories: Prominence of Color; Color Fit; Implied Energy;
Space; Integration; Details of Objects and Environment and Line Quality. Since the smallest p
value falls well below .05/14 (Bonferroni correction), the null hypothesis—that there was no
change overall in the pre and post-FEATS— can be confidently rejected. The effect sizes for
each item were calculated using Cohen’s d equation.
Insert table 3 about here
Discussion
All 7 items of the pre and post-session surveys reflect significant change (all maintained a
p < .001). This demonstrates that those who took part in the four-week pilot program improved
in their attitude, compliance with staff and rules and their socialization skills. Much of this was
confirmed by the participants’ behaviors during the sessions, and their increased interaction
when completing the directives.
Seven of the 14 categories of the FEATS reflected statistically significant change.
Improvement in five of these categories (prominence of color, color fit, energy, details of objects
and environment and space) supports the conclusion that there was a decrease in depressive
symptoms and an elevation of mood. Gantt and Tabone postulated that few colors, dark colors
and constricted use of space reflect depressed mood and loss of energy (1998). Other theorists
support these claims (Groth-Marnat, 1999; Wadeson 1980).
Assumptions about the participants’ interactions and socialization might be made based
on these significant changes. It could be assumed that increased space, more details, and greater
Art therapy with inmates
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compositional integration could reflect more awareness of their surroundings and how they
belong. The pre and post survey also seemed to strengthen this claim based on the positive
results of the socialization scale. Such measures might indicate an improved attitude and
increased acceptance of each other and the environment. Furthermore, this could translate into
improved interaction with peers and staff. These scales, coupled with improved line quality and
implied energy, might also indicate that the participants demonstrated greater investment in the
process and took the sessions seriously. The participants did indeed display greater compliance
with directives and improved behavior.
It was hypothesized that taking part in group art activities would help increase
participants’ abilities to cooperate and problem-solve. Yet, one area that did not reflect
significant change was problem solving. Despite this, several of the participants did indeed
demonstrate an increase in problem-solving methods between their pre and post drawings; such
post drawings show the person reaching for the apple, obtaining the apple, or using a ladder to
reach the apple, whereas the respective initial drawings did not exhibit such methods (For
example, see Figures 1 and 2).
Insert Figure 1 and 2 about here
It may be that not enough of the participants gained significant problem-solving skills to
influence the overall score, or that this particular scale was not sensitive enough to pick up subtle
improvements.
Perseveration and rotation, two formal art elements characteristic of those with organic
brain disorders (Lacks, 1984), did not change; this may have been expected as few of the
participants were diagnosed with organicity or neurological damage. If they did have such
difficulties, it was unlikely that such tendencies could be changed within four weeks, no matter
Art therapy with inmates 10
how powerful the therapeutic intervention. The categories for realism and developmental level
also yielded no significant change. As the art therapy activities were not established to teach art
skills, or to educate, it was assumed that the participating inmates’ drawing abilities and
developmental levels would not improve.
The surveys and the FEATS in conjunction with some of the statements and observations
of the correctional staff support the notion that there was an increase in mood, an improvement
in attitude and greater cooperation with the staff and their peers. Based on the results of the two
measures, and the art therapy was the only new experience in an otherwise tightly structured
environment, it can be concluded that the art therapy produced positive change. The following
two case vignettes help illustrate the changes that occurred in the participants that took part in the
sessions.
Case Example-Devin.
Devin, a 21 year-old Caucasian man presented himself as socially withdrawn with low
motivation and a poor attitude. This was his first prison term, and he was thirteen months into a
four-year sentence. He admitted to having little interest in the art activities, and that he was
attending just because he was “curious.” Figure 3 was his pre-test PPAT.
Insert Figure 3 about here
He sporadically attended other psychiatric groups, including those that focused on drug
and alcohol intervention. However, he attended all eight art therapy sessions consistently. He
remained quiet throughout most of the initial interactions, and as the sessions progressed, he
became more involved with the group processes. This may have been a result of Devin being
included in a group with two highly regarded and talented artists, who would often encourage the
others to create the directives recommended. He became less withdrawn, and more engaged in
Art therapy with inmates 11
the art process. By the end of the sessions, Devin was considerably more animated and interacted
much more with his peers. He was also more willing to participate in the art activities, and took
creative chances with his images. According to the counselor on the unit, Devin’s attitude and
interaction with others greatly improved even outside the art therapy sessions. On the program
evaluation for the participants’ feedback, despite some negative responses, he wrote that he
“like[d] the whole concept of it. I also liked the times we work [sic] in a group setting better than
working on something myself.” When asked if he would attend art therapy sessions again,
despite his claim that he does not have any artistic talent, he answered, “Yes; it was fun.”
Figure 4 shows the post-test PPAT Devin completed.
Insert Figure 4 about here
The second image reflects greater use of space, more color, details and greater problem-solving
skills. In this picture, the figure is standing on a ladder, reaching for the apple. Overall, these
drawings reflect the changes that occurred in Devin during the program. Case Example-Mark.
Mark was a 21 year-old man who was serving his third year of a 15-year sentence. On his
dormitory unit he was regarded as pessimistic, and was described as aggressive and labeled as
some to be “an a--hole” for his demeanor and his surly distance. He did not interact well with
others, and rarely spoke in the groups. When asked to complete a self-symbol, he completed
Figure 5.
Insert Figure 5 about here
The drawn background represents an aerial view of a school playground. Dominating the
image is a model-magic sculpture of a boy who had just gotten his “head blown off in a drive-by
shooting.” He indicated that this image reflected his general pessimistic view of the world.
Figure 6 was his pre-test PPAT drawing.
Art therapy with inmates 12
Insert Figure 6 about here
Although he used a wide palette of colors, the image takes up about 50% of the page, and there
are storm clouds dominating the image. Over the course of the art therapy sessions, he eventually
became cordial to the staff and peers, interacted more in sessions, and became more willing to
talk about personal information. During one group art task, “create your ideal world’ when others
had difficulty becoming motivated, he asked the group members questions to encourage their
participation. The final piece reflected input from every group member, with Mark taking
creative lead.
Far from loquacious, he nevertheless demonstrated a more positive attitude and
demeanor, and according to the counselor, his behavior on the unit greatly improved. On his
program evaluation he indicated that he did interact well with others in the group, and that he
learned how to express himself through the art. He indicated that he would continue art therapy
services if it was offered again, and that the only change would be that he “hope[d] we could be
allowed more time to think our art through.”
Figure 7 was his post-test PPAT drawing.
Insert Figure 7 about here
Although there are still rain clouds present, they are pushed off to the side, and the sun
dominates the center of the image. There is a greater attention to detail, more integration with a
variety of objects, there are more colors and almost 100% of the space is used. There seems to be
a great deal more investment in this image than the prior one.
Evaluation of the Study and Future Research
The quasi-experimental model was appropriate for this study. Since the intention was to
conduct an initial pilot study on the effects of art therapy on a prison population, it was not
Art therapy with inmates 13
deemed necessary to create a random, comparison design with a control group; the objective was
to determine if art therapy sessions could be offered in this setting, if it was possible to
administer assessment procedures, and to generate a broad inspection of the benefits of art
therapy. In this respect, this study was successful, and yielded information that was valuable in
establishing future studies.
However, there were some obvious shortcomings. One may have been the number of
therapists that conducted sessions; although more therapists offering the services meant more
participants could take advantage of this therapy, this may have been a confounding variable that
was not taken into consideration nor figured into the statistical evaluation. Not only were the
therapists different, so were the directives chosen for each group. This made it difficult to
ascertain which art therapy interventions and personal interactions influenced the results. To
remedy this in the future, it will be necessary to either compare the data from the various groups
with each other and then account for any disparities, if there were any, or have just one therapist
conduct all of the sessions. To gather more specific data relevant to the hypothesis, specifically
seeking a decrease in behavioral difficulties, it is suggested that the facility’s logs on the
participants be reviewed prior and during the sessions, to ascertain if there is a change in the
number of incident reports.
As well, the lack of a control group also made it difficult to determine if the changes in
the participants were indeed caused by taking part in the art therapy or from other, extraneous
factors. A control group will be created in the follow-up study.
Based on the success of this pilot study, and the positive effects art therapy seemed to
have towards increasing mood and socialization skills of this population, this project has been
funded for continued research. The follow-up study will attempt to build upon the positive
Art therapy with inmates 14
results of this study; the hypothesis will focus primarily on the effectiveness of art therapy for
improving mood and social interaction with prison inmates.
Conclusion
Upon review of the hypothesis on whether or not art therapy was effective in improving
mood, socialization, problem solving, behavior and attitude in prison inmates, the answer, based
on the outcome of this study, is partially yes and partially inconclusive. However, even the
affirmative answers remain tentative.
The results of the study quantitatively support that the art therapy was beneficial for the
participants. There was corroboration for a marked improvement in the participants’ mood and a
decrease in depressive symptoms as suggested by positive changes in five of the FEATS scales
(prominence of color, color fit, energy, details of objects and environment and space) as well as
the responses on the pre- and post-surveys and observations. A change in behavior and attitude
was supported by the results of the pre- and post- survey. An increase in socialization skills was
also supported by the responses on the pre- and post-survey and also by the observations of the
art therapists providing the groups. Change in socialization and improved interaction can also be
inferred from some of the changes in the FEATS results. In order for change to occur on several
of the scales, such as increased space, more details, and greater compositional integration it was
believed that a greater awareness of the participants’ surroundings needed to develop. This
suggested an increased acceptance of each other and the environment, which may produce
improved interaction with peers and staff.
However, despite the strength of this evidence, it is not entirely clear from this study
whether or not the changes were caused by the art therapy sessions, as there was no control
group on which to compare. A follow-up study hopes to clarify these results. Despite some
Art therapy with inmates 15
shortcomings in this study, the evidence from this quasi-experimental pilot study provided the
opportunity to further the research by obtaining quantitative data to support the benefits of art
therapy in prison settings. Establishing a better evaluation tool, limiting the number of clinicians
offering the services, extending the period of time that the sessions will be conducted,
randomizing the sample and creating a control group will strengthen the results on the follow-up
study.
References
Bennink, J., Gussak, D. & Skowran, M. (2003). The art therapists’ roles as primary therapists in a
juvenile justice setting. The Arts In Psychotherapy,30(3), 163-173.
Brewster, (1983). An evaluation of the arts-in-corrections program of the California
Department of Corrections. San Jose: San Jose State University.
Art therapy with inmates 16
Day, E.S. & Onorato, G. T. (1997). Surviving one’s sentence: Art therapy with incarcerated trauma
survivors. In D. Gussak & E. Virshup (Eds.), Drawing time: Art therapy in prisons and other
correctional settings (pp. 127-152). Chicago, IL: Magnolia Street Publishers.
Day, E.S. & Onorato, G. T. (1989). Making art in a jail setting. In H. Wadeson, J. Durkin and D.
Perach (Eds.), Advances in art therapy (pp. 126-147). New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Diamond, P.M., Wang, E.W. & Giles, C.L. (1996). Empirically derived MCMI-III profiles of
psychiatric prisoners facilitate program development. Presented at the 104th annual
convention of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Canada.
Dissanayake, E. (1992). Homoaestheticus: Where art comes from and why. New York: The Free
Press.
Fox, W. M. (1997). The hidden weapon: Psychodynamics of forensic institutions. In D. Gussak
& E. Virshup (Eds.), Drawing time: Art therapy in prisons and other correctional
settings (pp. 43-55). Chicago, IL: Magnolia Street Publishers.
Gantt, L. & Tabone, C. (1998). The formal elements art therapy scale: The rating manual.
Morgantown, WV: Gargoyle Press.
Groth-Marnat, G. (1997). Handbook of psychological assessment- 3rd ed. New York: John Wiley
and Sons.
Gussak, D., & Ploumis-Devick, E. (2004). Creating wellness in forensic populations through the
arts: A proposed interdisciplinary model. Visual Arts Research 29(1), 35-43.
Gussak, D. & Cohen-Liebman, M. S. (2001). Investigation vs. intervention: Forensic art therapy
and art therapy in forensic settings. The American Journal of Art Therapy, 40(2), 123135.
Art therapy with inmates 17
Gussak, D. & Virshup E. (eds.). (1997) Drawing Time: Art Therapy In Prisons And Other
Correctional Settings, Chicago, Il.: Magnolia Street Publishers.
Gussak, D. (1997a). The ultimate hidden weapon: Art therapy and the compromise option. In D.
Gussak & E. Virshup (Eds.), Drawing time: Art therapy in prisons and other correctional
settings (pp. 59-74). Chicago, IL: Magnolia Street Publishers.
Gussak, D. (1997b). Breaking through barriers: Advantages of art therapy in prison. In D.
Gussak & E. Virshup (Eds.), Drawing time: Art therapy in prisons and other correctional
settings (pp. 1-12). Chicago, IL: Magnolia Street Publishers.
Kornfeld, P. (1997). Cellblock visions: Prison art in America. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University
Press.
Kramer, E. (1993). Art as therapy with children (2nd ed.). Chicago, IL: Magnolia Street Publishers.
Kramer, E. (1958). Therapy in a children’s community. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.
Lacks, P. (1984). Bender gestalt screening for brain dysfunction. New York: John Wiley &
Sons.
Liebmann, M. (ed.) (1994). Art therapy with offenders. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
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Behavior, 8(3), 259-262.
Rank, O. (1932). Art and artist. New York: W.W. Norton.
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& E. Virshup (Eds.), Drawing time: Art therapy in prisons and other correctional
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Art therapy with inmates 18
Woodall, J. Diamond, P. and Howe, A.H. (1997). Art therapy in a managed care environment. In
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Art therapy with inmates 19
Table 1
Pre and post-survey completed by the facility’s mental health counselor.
5
4 3 2 1 0
COMPLIANT WITH UNIT RULES
NON COMPLIANT WITH
UNIT RULES
COMPLIANT WITH
CORRECTIONAL STAFF
DIRECTIVES
NON COMPLIANT WITH
CORRECTIONAL STAFF
DIRECTIVES
SOCIALIZES WITH PEERS ON
UNIT
NO SOCIALIZATION WITH
PEERS ON UNIT
PRESENTS AN OPTIMISTIC
ATTITUDE OF MEDICATION
MANAGEMENT
PRESENTS A PESSIMISTIC
ATTITUDE OF
MEDICATION
MANAGEMENT
COMPLIANT WITH
MEDICATIONS
NON COMPLIANT WITH
MEDICATIONS
COMPLIANT WITH DIETARY
PERSCRIPTION
NON COMPLIANT WITH
DIETARY PERSCRIPTION
MAINTAINS REGULAR
SLEEPING PATTERNS (8-10
HOURS IN THE EVENING)
MAINTAINS IRREGULAR
SLEEPING PATTERNS
(TOTAL OF LESS THAN 3
HOURS, MORE THAN 12,
MORNING, NOON, OR
NIGHT)
Art therapy with inmates 20
Table 2
Results of comparison of pre- and post-session survey results.
Title of category
pre
post
df
t
Sig.
Compliance with
Rules
Compliance with
Correctional Staff
Socializes with
Peers
Optimistic
Attitude towards
meds
Compliance with
Meds
Compliance with
Diet
Regular Sleeping
Patters
2.93 (.85)
4.66 (.57)
40
13.242
<.001*
Effect
Size
4.19
2.98 (.79)
4.66 (.58)
40
14.25
<.001*
4.51
2.13 (.68)
4.39 (.67)
40
21.207
<.001*
6.70
2.59 (.68)
3.57 (.79)
37
6.532
<.001*
2.15
2.74 (.72)
3.61 (.82)
37
5.259
<.001*
1.73
2.49 (.98)
4.68 (.47)
40
14.338
<.001*
4.54
2.19 (.89)
4.50 (.60)
39
15.585
<.001*
5.00
*p<.05
Art therapy with inmates 21
Table 3
Results of pre- and post-test FEAT comparison results.
Title of category
pre
post
df
t
Sig.
Prominence of Color
2.81(1.02)
3.68 (.92)
38
4.706
<.001 *
Effect
Size
1.53
3.85 (.75)
4.12 (.82)
38
2.076
.045*
.67
3.16 (.68)
3.65 (.88)
38
3.221
.003*
1.05
3.45 (.82)
4.2 (.78)
38
4.394
<.001 *
1.43
3.49 (.70)
3.97 (.86)
38
3.133
.003*
1.02
4.24 (.84)
4.47 (.64)
38
1.611
.116
.52
3.22 (.79)
3.46 (1.00)
38
1.686
.100
.55
3.30(1.27)
3.68 (1.63)
38
1.450
.155
.47
Developmental Level
3.75(1.09)
3.88 (.89)
38
.980
.333
.31
Details of Objects and
Environment
2.37(1.09)
3.24 (1.38)
38
3.195
.003*
1.04
3.67 (.53)
4.05 (.60)
38
3.176
.003*
1.03
4.15 (.93)
3.92 (1.33)
38
-.945
.351
-.30
4.97 (.16)
4.95 (.32)
38
-.442
.661
-.14
4.77 (.71)
4.91 (.43)
38
1.026
.311
.33
(Amount of colors used)
Color Fit
(How the colors fit the objects in the
drawings)
Implied Energy
(Assumption of how much energy it
would take to complete the drawing)
Space
(How much space does the drawing
occupy in relation to the whole
page)
Integration
(Overall balance of the composition
and relationship of the elements to
each other)
Logic
(The components of the picture fits
the task)
Realism
(Recognizability of the images)
Problem-solving
(Effectiveness of solution in picking
the apple off the tree)
(Extra items? How detailed?)
Line Quality
(Control the artist had when drawing
the picture)
Person
(The person is drawn accurately)
Rotation
(Tilting an object or person relative
to an imaginary vertical axis)
Perseveration
(Lines or elements are drawn
repeatedly without conscious
control)
*p<.05
Art therapy with inmates 22
Figure 1: Pre-test PPAT- Example of Poor Problem-solving
Art therapy with inmates 23
Figure 2: Post-PPAT- Example of Improved Problem-Solving
Art therapy with inmates 24
Figure 3: Pre-test PPAT- Devin
Art therapy with inmates 25
Figure 4: Post-test PPAT-Devin
Art therapy with inmates 26
Figure 5: Mark’s Self-Symbol
Art therapy with inmates 27
Figure 6: Pre-test PPAT-Mark
Art therapy with inmates 28
Figure 7: Post-test PPAT-Mark