There is an alarming trend in homelessness: children aged 17 and younger are the most rapidly growing group of the homeless; families continue to be a growing group of the homeless; and many people who are homeless were raised or have lived in the suburbs. Homelessness is no longer an inner-city phenomenon. Three homeless youth were interviewed…

Possible causes for adolescent suicide and its increase are reviewed, and suggestions are offered to educators and therapists for using poetry writing and visual arts to reach potential young suicide victims. At a developmental age when they become cognitively able to employ abstract concepts, adolescents find poetry writing a safe way to clarify…

This book describes "Revitalize," an arts and aging program developed for the Fine Arts Council of Florida. The rationale behind the program, research involved in its structures, the evolution of ideas, the selection of the Neighborly Center, Inc. as a partner agency, the designation of sites for the program, the choice of artists, and the intent…

Questionnaires were sent to the 22 American Art Therapy Association approved graduate programs to survey the conditions of art therapy educators. With few exceptions, the data from the 16 respondents indicate that salaries are lower than national university faculty salary averages, that few are tenured, and that course loads are high. (Author/LSR)

A collaboration between art therapists and child life professionals within a pediatric setting encourages optimal adjustment for sick children and their families. Art therapists practicing in pediatric settings are encouraged to broaden their ability to use a wide range of art and play modalities to reach the broadest range of patients and…

Utilizes the Kinetic Family Drawings-Revised (KFD-R) to measure siblings' (N=44) feelings and attitudes toward bone marrow transplants. Data from drawings and discussions with siblings underscore that not all children are affected by stress in the same way. How a particular child responds depends on factors such as life history, personality,…

Discusses connections between art therapy and art education and the use of community resources to enrich the content of a collaborative course. In this course, jointly sponsored by a university and an art museum, participants drew on various artistic disciplines and multisensory approaches to develop treatment plans for special needs children.…

Having a body of literature on psychological sequelae of victims, assessments, and interventions following a trauma can help mental health workers to better understand the prior treatment responses and to plan for the future. In this article, we review the current status of published mental health research on children following September 11,…

The essays in this collection are grounded in theoretical underpinnings which range from Freud to Montessori. The focus encompasses educational and psychiatric concerns. Essays are organized in 4 parts. Part 1, "Theory of Art Therapy," includes: (1) "Art Therapy: Problems of Definition" (Elinor Ulman); (2) "Therapy is Not Enough: The Contribution…

This paper discusses how presentation software can be used to design custom materials for a variety of people with special needs, including children and adults with low vision, people with developmental disabilities, and stroke patients with cognitive impairments. Benefits of using presentation software include: (1) presentation software gives the…

This practicum designed and implemented a body image improvement program for seven severely emotionally disturbed latency-aged girls. Students participated once per week for 12 weeks in individual art therapy and in group sessions. The practicum incorporated therapeutic art activities with verbal interactions and utilized human growth films,…

A case study is presented of a 19-year-old deaf and legally blind boy who transcends his handicapping condition in using felt-tipped markers and tempera paints to produce graphic landscapes of urban life. Discussed are his choice of subjects, manner of working, the impact of art therapy, and therapeutic issues. (JDD)

Reviews areas of competence essential to comprehensive school art therapy service delivery and outlines suggestions for a resource library. Art therapy texts, references in assessment in special education, intervention, program planning and evaluation, consultation, and research will enhance the effectiveness of art therapists treating increasing…

Describes a group counseling program for Native American youth, using art as the primary counseling intervention in a public school setting. Ten Native American boys and girls, ages 7-17, participated in the development of the program protocol. Art created a symbolic vehicle for creative expression that enhanced personal and social functioning.…

Discusses the forces compelling young adolescent females toward early parenthood, a community-based art therapy/pregnancy program for elementary and junior high school girls, the use of interactive museum gallery visits to enhance art-therapy treatment goals, and case vignettes that illustrate issues raised for the adolescent and art therapist…