The Efficiency of Art-Based Interventions in Parental Training

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Child Development
• Art Therapy

Background:

• Art therapy is increasingly recognized, yet verbal parent sessions remain common.
• Integrating art into parental training offers a novel therapeutic avenue.
• Understanding the impact of art-based interventions on parent-child dynamics is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of art-based parental training compared to verbal training and no training.
• To assess the impact on parent-child relationships, parental self-perception, and child functioning.
• To explore the unique contributions of art engagement in therapeutic settings.

Main Methods:

• Eighty-seven parents and their 5-8 year old children participated in a 10-month study.
• Three groups: art-based parental training, verbal parental training, and a control group.
• Quantitative questionnaires assessed children's and parents' perceptions, alongside art therapist reports.

Main Results:

• Children in the art-based group showed significantly higher scores in perceived cognitive abilities and peer/maternal acceptance.
• Parents reported no significant differences in their perceptions of the child or satisfaction across groups.
• Art therapists noted improvements in nearly all measures for the art-based intervention group.

Conclusions:

• Art-based parental training enhances children's self-perception and social integration.
• Creative engagement allows parents to better understand and accept their own inner child, positively influencing their parenting.
• This approach fosters improved parent-child relationships and child well-being.