Art Therapy and Emotional Well Being in Military Populations With Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
Summary
Art therapy is used across the Military Health System for treatment of posttraumatic symptoms, but there is limited research on how art therapy is able to restore emotional expression and regulation in service members. This research hopes to learn about the effects of art therapy on emotional expression and regulation in service members as well as the neurological systems at work. If a participant chooses to be in this study, he or she will attend eleven sessions over a period of six to eight months. The first session will be an interview and self-assessment questionnaires to collect information on a variety of symptoms, experiences, and personality traits, and an MRI scan. During the MRI scan, participants will be asked to perform a task where they will be shown a series of neutral and negative images. The following eight sessions will be one-hour art therapy sessions with a certified art therapist. The tenth session will consist of the same self-assessment questionnaires and another MRI scan. The final session will consist of some of the same questionnaires from the tenth visit, as well as a qualitative interview done virtually three months after the tenth visit.
Description
Art Therapy is used across the Military Health System (MHS) as part of interdisciplinary treatment programs with great success, but there is limited research on how this art therapy works. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to learn about the effects of art therapy on emotional expression and regulation in service members as well as the impact of art therapy on brain systems. If a participant chooses to be in this study he or she will attend eleven sessions over a period of six to eight months. The first session and tenth sessions of this research study will include interviews and self…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–64 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * DEERS Eligible * Active Duty or Veteran separated within the past 10 years * Significant posttraumatic stress symptoms (score of \>/=31 on the PCL-5) Exclusion Criteria: * History of moderate, severe, or penetrating brain injury * History of psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, or active suicidal or homicidal ideation * History of multiple sclerosis, Huntington's disease, or Alzheimer's disease * History of stroke or myocardial infarction * History of brain tumor * History of seizures * Contradictions for MRI (for example, participants will be excluded for pregnancy,…
Interventions
- BehavioralArt Therapy
During the art research intervention session, the art therapist will walk you through the creation of various types of art and may spend time asking you about the artwork, how you are felling, as well as your past experiences.
Locations (2)
- National Intrepid Center of ExcellenceBethesda, Maryland
- ISC at Fort BelvoirFort Belvoir, Virginia