Compassion Focused Art Therapy for people diagnosed with a cluster B/C personality disorder: An intervention mapping study

A theoretical exploration of polyvagal theory in creative arts and psychomotor therapies for emotion regulation in stress and trauma

Polyvagal theory advocates for working with the body, becoming aware of the body and connecting with the senses. Similarly, paying attention to and influencing one's physical and sensory experience is a core aspect of the creative arts and psychomotor therapies. Polyvagal theory offers opportunities for strengthening resilience by treating emotion-regulation problems, stress, and trauma, as well as restoring regulation of the autonomic nervous system. Paying attention to and influencing physical and sensory experiences are core aspects of creative arts and psychomotor therapies. This theoretical paper explores how polyvagal theory can serve as a foundational theory and support the creative arts and psychomotor therapies for emotion regulation in stress and trauma. A number of pillars in polyvagal theory have links with arts therapies, such as an emphasis on physical and sensory experience in situations of safety or threat. This theory may offer insight into the role of the body in stressful situations, the role of co-and self-regulation, and thus the functioning of and the rationale for use of creative arts and psychomotor therapies. Through interventions focused on promoting healthy autonomic responses and regulating physiological responses, clients can learn to better regulate and process their emotional experiences. Although this could be broadly useful, it would seem particularly promising in therapies focused on stress and trauma. This article provides an introduction to polyvagal theory and outlines how it can serve as an explanatory, hypothetical model for the working mechanisms that underlie creative arts and psychomotor therapies. The application of PVT in creative arts and psychomotor therapies will be explored by describing techniques for "noticing and naming" and "learning to change," as well as by highlighting the role of PVT in the therapeutic relationship. It provides case examples and discusses the role of creative arts and psychomotor therapies for stress regulation and resilience conceptualized in line with the polyvagal theory.

Online coaching blended couple-oriented intervention for preventing depression among Korean middle adulthood: A feasibility study

Depression and marital satisfaction have a reciprocal cause-and-effect relationship. Thus, couple relationships should be considered to maximize the effectiveness of couple-oriented interventions for depression. Moreover, developing culturally tailored couple-oriented interventions is critical for improving cultural acceptability and enhancing the perceived effectiveness of the interventions. A new culturally tailored MindGuide Couple intervention was developed to prevent Korean middle adulthood depression and enhance couple relationships using intervention mapping. This feasibility study used a single-arm, pre- and post-test, and 2-month follow-up design to explore the reach, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of this preventive intervention. Reach was assessed by recruitment, retention, and completion rates; acceptability was measured based on helpfulness, suitability, and satisfaction; and preliminary effectiveness was measured by depression (CES-D), positive and negative affect (PANAS), satisfaction with life (SWLS), couple satisfaction (CSI), and healthy relationship between spouses (FRAS). Fifteen middle-aged couples participated in four psychoeducational and asynchronous online modules and four synchronous coaching sessions via videoconferencing for 5-7 weeks. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and repeated measures with analysis of variance. With a 94.1% completion rate, the participants demonstrated high satisfaction with the online coaching blended intervention and reported that it was helpful and easy to use. Both husbands and wives showed significant differences over time in depression, couple satisfaction, and healthy relationships between spouses. This feasibility study demonstrated the successful reach, acceptability, and potential effectiveness of this preventive intervention. Additionally, we suggest the importance of culturally tailored and online coaching blended couple-oriented intervention for preventing depression and promoting healthy couple relationships.

Evaluation of a skills-based peer-led art therapy online-group for people with emotion dysregulation

OBJECTIVE

We developed and piloted a novel art-based online skills program led by a peer mental health professional with lived experience of complex mental health, including Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Key challenges of living with BPD and emotion dysregulation were addressed through artmaking informed by a dialectical framework and skills, to evaluate acceptability and efficacy.

METHOD

A structured, manualised 2-hour weekly arts-based skills program was piloted for people with BPD over 18 weeks. Evaluation included both quantitative and qualitative measures at commencement and completion.

RESULTS

Thirty-eight participants enrolled in the program (89.5% identified she/her pronouns, average age 33.6 years), and 31 completed (82% retention). Multilevel modelling analysis of the primary outcome variable Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) demonstrated a large improvement over time (effect size Cohen's d = 1.77). Qualitative thematic analysis found participants had improved capacity to regulate emotions and tolerate distress, improved connection with others, enhanced understanding of the self, and higher hope for living well. We found that artmaking facilitated processes and helped the expression of difficult emotions, symbolise challenging relationships, and facilitate greater self-understanding. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction, and 77.4% reported that the program had increased wellbeing.

CONCLUSION

This novel artmaking program for emotion dysregulation and BPD was acceptable and potentially effective. Peer facilitation using arts-based skills is a modality of therapy for further investigation.

Development of an Online-Coaching Blended Couple-Oriented Intervention for Preventing Depression in Middle Adulthood: An Intervention Mapping Study

Background

Although middle-aged adults in Korea are vulnerable to depression, there are few preventive interventions for depression in middle adulthood. Studies consistently suggest that interventions that include both spouses are effective in decreasing depression and relationship distress. Considering the busy lives of middle-aged couples, it is essential to develop an online-coaching blended couple-oriented intervention. This study aimed to describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of an online-coaching blended couple-oriented intervention using an online program and coaching via videoconference to prevent middle-aged couples' depression; this was done using an intervention mapping (IM) protocol.

Methods

Six steps of IM were used to systematically develop a tailored multi-level intervention specific to middle-aged couples' depression. These steps of the IM protocol involve needs assessment, formulation of change objectives, theory-based methods, and practical strategies for program design, program development, program implementation, and program evaluation.

Results

The results of the six steps were as follows: (a) middle-aged couples' needs and mental health problems were identified through a scoping review study, mixed-method study, and expert interviews; (b) six performance objectives (POs) were formulated based on the results of Step 1, and intrapersonal, interpersonal, and temporal/transpersonal determinants were identified based on the self-transcendence theory. Change objectives were developed by combining POs with determinants; (c) self-regulated learning was chosen for theoretical teaching methods and practical strategies to change the determinants of each level; (d) four modules consisting of 16 sessions were developed based on the self-transcendence theory; (e) experts evaluated the program and coaches were trained; and (f) the evaluation plan for the program's feasibility, acceptability, usability, and preliminary effects was developed.

Discussion

The systematic process using IM allowed us to develop an online-coaching blended couple-oriented intervention to prevent depression and promote couples' relationships. The primary effects of this newly developed program should be evaluated in future studies. This may lead to the increased adoption and implementation of evidence-based and tailored interventions for psychological wellbeing in middle adulthood.

Emotional Creativity in Art Education: An Exploratory Analysis and Research Trends

The emotions that human beings experience have a key role in the environments in which they operate. In art education, creative processes are influenced by the emotions and experiences lived by the individual, enabling a more emotional and creative design to make life more pleasant. The aim was to examine the research during the period 1917–2020 on the development of emotional creativity in art education. Mathematical and statistical techniques were applied to 984 articles carried from Elsevier’s Scopus database. The findings yielded data on the scientific productivity of the journal, authors, research institutions, and countries/territories that promoted this field. The data showed an exponential trend, mostly in the last decade. Five lines of research stand out: emotion, higher education, education, art, and leadership. Moreover, five future research directions related to visual art education, affective paradigm, metacompetency, expressive arts therapy group, and cognitive empathy were detected. This study establishes the link between psychology, neuroscience, and artistic education to constitute the decision-making of the promoters of this topic of research. The analysis of international research allowed us to focus the future publications of academics and researchers, in addition to guaranteeing an adequate approach to the objectives of the institutions and funding centers.