ABSTRACT Background A veterans’ mental health charity and Hampshire Cultural Trust collaborated to facilitate art therapy groups for veterans with service-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Aims The project aimed to improve the wellbeing of participants by tapping into their existing military knowledge, skills and expertise as a resource for mental health. Also, to explore how items from the museum collection might stimulate a sense of belonging that could moderate the isolating effects of PTSD, and later the COVID-19 lockdown. Methods Data was collected through established evaluation measures to rate wellbeing and loneliness, and through surveys tailored to the project. Focus groups and participant observation provided further data. Descriptive statistics of the quantitative data were then combined with thematic analysis of the overall data to provide the findings. Results Although military experiences were the cause of the veterans’ mental health problems, and traumatic memories became stirred through recollections triggered by the museum items, the evidence suggests that participants experienced a sense of belonging which promoted self-confidence and social interaction, and improved wellbeing. Conclusions Through familiarity with the function of the artefacts, in-depth contextual knowledge, and shared military experience, the veterans were able to connect through an exploratory process. This was the case when the group was museum-based and when held remotely. Implications Military museums are potential mental health reservoirs for veterans. Digital art therapy sessions offer a way of involving and supporting socially avoidant or isolated veterans who cannot physically attend groups, as well as those who live out of the area. Plain-language summary During 2019, a veterans’ mental health charity and Hampshire Cultural Trust collaborated to run art therapy groups for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) associated with their military service. PTSD can have long-lasting consequences, such as social isolation and heightened anxiety. The project aimed to improve the wellbeing of participants by tapping into their existing military knowledge, skills and expertise as a resource for mental health. It was hoped that reconnecting with a range of memories from service life would counter-balance the weight of the distressing memories of military experiences that continued to have a detrimental effect. Each session involved looking at specific items from the museum’s collection; making a creative response through image-making or creative writing; and discussing ideas. The informality of the meetings where participants were encouraged to share their military knowledge, took the focus away from having mental health problems. Simultaneously, the effects of their psychological injuries were lessened by recognition and use of their specialist abilities. Results were promising. Although military experiences were the cause of the veterans’ mental health problems, and traumatic memories became stirred through recollections triggered by the museum items, the sense of belonging and camaraderie between veterans moderated the isolating effects of PTSD and enabled shared recollections. Further museum-based sessions were planned for 2020. However, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the group transferred to an online platform. This paper provides a comparison between in-person and remote working in this context. Digital art therapy sessions offer promise as a way of involving veterans who cannot physically attend groups for reasons such as distance or agoraphobia. It is hoped that this study might encourage other military museums to consider similar projects to support socially avoidant or isolated veterans.

中文翻译：

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军事博物馆藏品和艺术疗法作为患有 PTSD 的退伍军人的心理健康资源

摘要 背景 退伍军人心理健康慈善机构和汉普郡文化信托基金会合作，为患有与服务相关的创伤后应激障碍 (PTSD) 的退伍军人提供艺术治疗小组。目标 该项目旨在通过利用参与者现有的军事知识、技能和专业知识作为心理健康资源来改善他们的福祉。此外，探索博物馆藏品如何激发归属感，从而缓和 PTSD 以及后来的 COVID-19 封锁的隔离效应。方法 数据是通过既定的幸福感和孤独感评估措施以及针对项目量身定制的调查收集的。焦点小组和参与者观察提供了进一步的数据。然后将定量数据的描述性统计与总体数据的专题分析相结合，以提供调查结果。结果 虽然军事经历是退伍军人心理健康问题的原因，并且通过博物馆物品引发的回忆激起了创伤性记忆，但证据表明参与者体验了一种归属感，促进了自信心和社交互动，改善了幸福感. 结论 通过熟悉文物的功能、深入的背景知识和共享的军事经验，退伍军人能够通过探索过程建立联系。当该团体以博物馆为基础并远程举行时，情况就是如此。意义 军事博物馆是退伍军人潜在的心理健康库。数字艺术治疗课程提供了一种参与和支持社交回避或孤立的退伍军人的方式，这些退伍军人无法亲自参加团体，以及居住在该地区以外的退伍军人。简明语言摘要 2019 年，退伍军人心理健康慈善机构和汉普郡文化信托基金合作为患有与服兵役相关的创伤后应激障碍 (PTSD) 的退伍军人开设艺术治疗小组。PTSD 会产生长期的后果，例如社会孤立和焦虑加剧。该项目旨在通过利用他们现有的军事知识、技能和专业知识作为心理健康资源来改善参与者的福祉。人们希望与服役生活中的一系列记忆重新联系将抵消军事经历的痛苦记忆的重量，这些记忆继续产生不利影响。每次会议都涉及查看博物馆藏品中的特定物品；通过图像制作或创意写作做出创造性回应；并讨论想法。会议的非正式性鼓励参与者分享他们的军事知识，使人们不再关注心理健康问题。同时，通过认识和使用他们的专业能力，他们的心理伤害的影响得到了减轻。结果很有希望。虽然军旅经历是老兵心理健康问题的原因，博物馆物品引发的回忆激起了创伤性的记忆，退伍军人之间的归属感和友情缓和了 PTSD 的孤立效应，并促成了共同的回忆。计划在 2020 年举办更多基于博物馆的会议。但是，由于 COVID-19 大流行，该小组转移到了在线平台。本文对这种情况下的面对面工作和远程工作进行了比较。数字艺术治疗课程有望作为一种让因距离或广场恐惧症等原因无法亲自参加团体的退伍军人参与的方式。希望这项研究可以鼓励其他军事博物馆考虑类似的项目来支持社会回避或孤立的退伍军人。由于 COVID-19 大流行，该小组转移到在线平台。本文对这种情况下的面对面工作和远程工作进行了比较。数字艺术治疗课程有望作为一种让因距离或广场恐惧症等原因无法亲自参加团体的退伍军人参与的方式。希望这项研究可以鼓励其他军事博物馆考虑类似的项目来支持社会回避或孤立的退伍军人。由于 COVID-19 大流行，该小组转移到在线平台。本文对这种情况下的面对面工作和远程工作进行了比较。数字艺术治疗课程有望作为一种让因距离或广场恐惧症等原因无法亲自参加团体的退伍军人参与的方式。希望这项研究可以鼓励其他军事博物馆考虑类似的项目来支持社会回避或孤立的退伍军人。