[Non linear principal component analysis and clues for a differential approach of five groups experiencing social...

We wished to develop an original way of taking care of people experiencing great social precariousness. Our purpose was to develop communication and relational skills, to stimulate expression of emotions and feelings, to bring out personal resources, to increase well-being, motivation and self-esteem, and thus favour rehabilitation. Our sample is composed of long-term unemployed people, of people benefiting from measures of integration into the working process, of people living in community homes, of drug addicts, and of drug-addicted female prisoners. Our research is based on an integrated quantitative and qualitative methodology, with rating scales for the artistic production and observational frames for items of verbal and non-verbal behaviour completing the psychometric questionnaires. It is an action research; we use art therapy, which is a common practice in the health sector, especially with subjects having problems expressing there feelings through words. We have carried out a non linear principal component analysis (PRINCALS) on the data of the projective test (Rotter), as well as a between groups comparison of the responses to the questionnaire on life satisfaction (FLZ), with the help of the Mann-Whitney test. It is from these comparisons that we are able to draw out a few clues for differential treating strategies, depending on the inclusion into the five sub-groups that we have followed.