ABSTRACT

In a 2015–2016 UK survey of 35, 248 adults, 7% reported experiencing sexual abuse as children. This review considers the value of Art Therapy (AT) in recognizing individual needs and experiences and supporting victims to manage the lasting impact of abuse. Three main bodies of research were identified: the use of AT in childhood sexual abuse (CSA) investigations; the use of art therapy in the treatment of the psychological sequelae of CSA victims in childhood and adulthood; and an assessment of how art therapy compares to other therapeutic approaches for CSA victims. The review highlights that AT particularly benefits rapport building between victim and therapist/investigator, and alleviates some psychological consequences of sexual abuse – particularly anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and dissociation. By engaging the limbic system, AT may also provide a communicative form, building a narrative where verbal communication is hindered. However, the analysis brings attention to several weaknesses in the current AT research: available studies tend to have small sample sizes and few quantitative findings. This review concludes by identifying the need for research which considers the clinical implications of AT in CSA cases for the future.

摘要

在 2015-2016 年英国对 35 名 248 名成年人的调查中，7% 的人报告说在儿童时期遭受过性虐待。这篇综述考虑了艺术疗法 (AT) 在识别个人需求和经历以及支持受害者管理虐待的持久影响方面的价值。确定了三个主要研究主体： 在儿童性虐待 (CSA) 调查中使用 AT；使用艺术疗法治疗儿童和成年期 CSA 受害者的心理后遗症；并评估艺术疗法与 CSA 受害者的其他治疗方法相比如何。该评论强调，AT 特别有利于受害者和治疗师/调查员之间建立融洽的关系，并减轻性虐待的一些心理后果——特别是焦虑、创伤后压力和分离。通过参与边缘系统，AT 还可以提供一种交流形式，在语言交流受到阻碍的情况下构建叙事。然而，该分析引起了对当前 AT 研究的几个弱点的关注：现有研究往往样本量小，定量结果很少。本综述最后确定了研究的必要性，该研究考虑了 AT 在 CSA 病例中对未来的临床意义。