This article describes a 12-week intervention program for Syrian refugee youth who have lived in the U.S. for approximately one year. The purpose of this study was to identify and develop art therapy interventions that would reduce stress and severity of trauma-related psychopathology while providing coping skills for youth aged 17 and under. Psychological questionnaire data were collected to obtain subjective and objective changes in trauma-related symptoms over the course of the art therapy program. The findings incited a large statistically significant effect of art therapy on posttraumatic stress and separation anxiety (p = .05; d >.8) compared to no treatment controls, and moderate effects of art therapy on anxiety, panic disorder, and GAD (d >.5) compared to no treatment controls. The reduction in stress was reflected behaviorally in participants’ positive affect, increased interest in art activities and increased coping (as evidenced through interaction with media, problem solving, participant initiated coping strategies and social support). The paper includes a review of relevant literature, description of select interventions, and recommendations for future work in art therapy with refugees.

本文介绍了一项为期12周的干预计划，该计划针对在美国生活了大约一年的叙利亚难民青年。这项研究的目的是确定和开发艺术疗法干预措施，以减轻压力和与创伤有关的精神病理学的严重性，同时为17岁及以下的青少年提供应对技巧。收集心理调查问卷数据，以获得在艺术治疗计划过程中创伤相关症状的主观和客观变化。与没有治疗对照组相比，该发现激发了艺术疗法对创伤后应激和分离焦虑的巨大统计学意义（p = .05； d> .8），并且艺术疗法对焦虑，恐慌症和GAD的中等影响（d > .5）与没有治疗的对照组比较。行为上的压力减少反映在参与者的积极影响，对艺术活动的兴趣增加和应对上（通过与媒体互动，解决问题，参与者发起的应对策略和社会支持证明）。本文包括对相关文献的回顾，对某些干预措施的描述以及对难民进行艺术治疗的未来建议。