ABSTRACT UK Armed Forces personnel experiencing mental health difficulties are not, at present, offered art therapy as a treatment option. This paper considers the prevalence of mental health problems for personnel currently serving in the Armed Forces compared with the UK general population. The current treatment pathway for UK Armed Forces personnel is explained and compared with a review of literature regarding art therapy for the similar client groups; veterans in the UK and, military personnel in the United States, Russia and Israel. Much of the UK media discussion about military mental health focuses on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The veterans charity Combat Stress (along-side other charities) carries out vital work with PSTD sufferers. However, it is highlighted that PTSD is not the most prevalent mental health presentation for UK Armed Forces personnel. It is hypothesised that art therapy could be a suitable treatment option for UK Armed Forces personnel with mental health issues and it is proposed that formal research should be undertaken, to determine the efficacy of art therapy with this client group at one of the Ministry of Defence Departments of Community Mental Health. Plain-language summary Definitions: • UK Armed Forces: Personnel currently serving in the UK military in either; the Army, Royal Navy, Royal Marines or the Royal Air Force. • Veteran: A person who has left the Armed Forces having previously served for at least one full day. • Combat Stress: A UK based charity providing mental health support for veterans. UK Armed Forces personnel experiencing mental health difficulties are not, at present, offered art therapy as a treatment option at any of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) Departments of Community Mental Health (DCMH). This paper provides a brief overview of art therapy before considering the prevalence of mental health problems for personnel currently serving in the UK Armed Forces compared with the UK general population. The current treatment pathway for serving personnel is explained and compared to a review of literature regarding art therapy for veterans in the UK predominantly looking at the art therapy workshops conducted by the charity Combat Stress with lead art therapist Janice Lobban. The author also considered papers submitted concerning art therapy for military personnel in the United States, Russia and Israel. In addition she looked at the report from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Arts in Health and Wellbeing. In conclusion, it is hypothesised that art therapy could be a suitable treatment option for the UK Armed Forces. The author proposes that formal research could be undertaken, to determine the efficacy of art therapy with an Armed Forces client group at one of the Ministry of Defence Departments of Community Mental Health.

中文翻译：

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评估艺术疗法在英国国防部社区心理健康部的潜在用途

摘要 英国武装部队人员遇到心理健康困难，目前还没有提供艺术疗法作为治疗选择。本文考虑了与英国一般人群相比，目前在武装部队服役的人员的心理健康问题的普遍性。解释了英国武装部队人员当前的治疗途径，并与对类似客户群体的艺术治疗的文献综述进行了比较；英国的退伍军人以及美国、俄罗斯和以色列的军事人员。英国媒体对军人心理健康的大部分讨论都集中在创伤后应激障碍 (PTSD) 上。退伍军人慈善机构 Combat Stress（与其他慈善机构一起）为 PSTD 患者开展重要工作。然而，需要强调的是，PTSD 并不是英国武装部队人员最普遍的心理健康表现。假设艺术疗法可能是有心理健康问题的英国武装部队人员的合适治疗选择，并建议应进行正式研究，以确定与国防部之一的该客户群进行艺术疗法的疗效社区心理健康部门。简明语言摘要 定义： • 英国武装部队：目前在英国军队中服役的人员；陆军、皇家海军、皇家海军陆战队或皇家空军。• 退伍军人：已离开武装部队且之前服役至少一整天的人。• Combat Stress：一家英国慈善机构，为退伍军人提供心理健康支持。目前，任何国防部 (MoD) 社区心理健康部门 (DCMH) 均未向遇到心理健康问题的英国武装部队人员提供艺术疗法作为治疗选择。在考虑目前在英国武装部队服役的人员与英国一般人群相比，心理健康问题的普遍性之前，本文简要概述了艺术治疗。解释了当前服务人员的治疗途径，并与有关英国退伍军人艺术治疗的文献综述进行了比较，主要关注慈善机构 Combat Stress 与首席艺术治疗师 Janice Lobban 举办的艺术治疗研讨会。作者还考虑了提交的有关美国、俄罗斯和以色列军事人员艺术治疗的论文。此外，她还查看了全党议会健康与福利艺术小组的报告。总之，假设艺术疗法可能是英国武装部队的合适治疗选择。作者建议可以进行正式研究，以确定与国防部社区心理卫生部门之一的武装部队客户组一起进行艺术治疗的效果。