All posts by ACAP

A stakeholder survey of clinical supervisors

The Vasarhelyi Method of Child Art Psychotherapy in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: a stakeholder survey of clinical supervisors

Abstract

The Vasarhelyi Method of Child Art Psychotherapy (CAP) is a largely understudied psychotherapeutic modality. This study aims to describe the Vasarhelyi Method of CAP and to describe a stakeholder survey of the views and attitudes of CAP placement supervisors towards CAP among various Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) teams nationwide.

A phone- and letter-based survey of 17 CAP placement supervisors who oversee CAP masters students attached to CAMHS teams was performed. A questionnaire was designed enquiring about their experiences with CAP in their clinic and their thoughts on the validity of CAP in various conditions/patient demographics. Participants received written correspondence and were asked to return the survey by post; this was followed up by a telephone call to complete missing surveys.

In all, 12 (70.6%) complete surveys were returned. Of the 12 respondents, all considered the CAP student to be a valuable member of the team. In total, 10 respondents (83.33%) stated they would make regular use of the service if it were made available to them. With regard to the therapy itself, nine respondents (75%) believed it was better for internalising symptoms than externalising symptoms. Depression, anxiety, attachment difficulties, trauma, deliberate self-harm and possible psychosomatic illnesses are the conditions viewed as receiving the most benefit from CAP. No gender difference was reported.

CAP is considered an effective modality and valuable addition to a psychotherapeutic repertoire. Further, more extensive studies are needed in this field.

CAMHS: Which cases are referred and which cases drop out?

Full Article: HERE

Saba L1, Byrne A2, Mulligan A3.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The Vasarhelyi method of child art psychotherapy (CAP) is offered at certain Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Children attend three introductory sessions, and then choose to continue weekly CAP or conclude the sessions.

AIMS:

This study aims to identify the clinical disorders and characteristics of patients referred to CAP, and to determine who engages with the therapy.

METHODS:

A retrospective review of the clinical records of 67 children who attended CAP in DNCC/Mater CAMHS over 13 years was performed. The data was analysed using Microsoft Excel 12.0 and SPSS version 20.

RESULTS:

67 children (57 % male and 43 % female) aged 5-17 years participated in CAP with an average age of 10.6 years. Children attended an average of 14 sessions of CAP, with a range of 1-61 sessions (mean of 13.8 ± 12.9 sessions). Anxiety disorder (28 %), behaviour disorder/ODD (25 %), and ADHD (21 %) are the most common diagnoses referred. These diagnoses along with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) had the highest overall engagement, while those with depression engaged the least. Children with ADHD and with ASD attended high numbers of sessions (with a mean of 23 and 19 respectively). Those who experienced acute life events or difficulties in the home engaged well (60 and 40 % respectively). There was no significant difference found in the percentage of appointments attended by males in comparison to females.

CONCLUSION:

CAP is generally acceptable to children, with a high average attendance rate. It was noted that children with ADHD and with ASD engaged well with the therapy for prolonged periods, whereas children with depression did not engage so well. We suggest that CAMHS clinics should consider referring children diagnosed with ADHD and children diagnosed with ASD to CAP as an adjunct to other therapies. We suggest that individuals with depression should be referred initially to other therapeutic services as the engagement with CAP was relatively poor.

The School of Psychotherapy launch new website

The School of Psychotherapy at St Vincent’s University Hospital have launched their new website – www.tsop.ie or www.theschoolofpsychotherapy.ie.

The School of Psychotherapy run the Post MSc Child Art Psychotherapy Training Programme in conjunction with the MSc Child Art Psychotherapy Steering Committee. Information on the programme can be found on their new site here -http://theschoolofpsychotherapy.ie/child-art-psychotherapy-post-msc-child-art-psychotherapy-training-programme/

Post MSc CAP Trainees engage in clinical practice in child art psychotherapy at a placement recognised for the purposes of training by the PMCAPTP.  Most of these clinical places are in Tusla Child and Family Agency.

Exhibition of Art Therapy

An exhibition of art therapy from Snowsfields Adolescent Unit is now on show at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, London.

________________________________________________________________

Curated by Richard Corrigall and Valerie Hartland

________________________________________________________________