Running Head: ART THERAPY AND AUTISM 1

Art Therapy and Autism Spectrum Disorder

Phoenix Matteson

Health Sciences/ Art

Ms. Toth, Ms. Hullinger

December 5, 2017

The results of a semi-recent government survey done in 2015 shows that one in every

forty-eight children, between the ages of three and seventeen, have been diagnosed with autism

spectrum disorder. (Autism Speaks, 2015). Parents of children with ASD (Autism spectrum

disorder) struggle daily with the needs and challenges their children have from ASD disorders.

Often times, autism spectrum disorder is accompanied by behavioral problems that include, but

are not limited to, tantrums, aggression, and self injuring behavior. (Biotech, 2012). Behavioral

health is very important because it affects not only the individual, but those around them as well.

If an individual has violent behavior, their actions might be taken out on themselves, or those

around them, causing dangerous problems. Having to deal with these conditions will wear a

person out. The child does not understand or comprehend things the same, and therefore there is

a communication barrier. This communication barrier is broken in different ways for each

person. One way people face these challenges, is through the help of art therapy because of the

benefits it has for common ASD challenges. It helps an individual with self expression through

written word, poetry, painting, dancing, music, and other artistic activities. It is very inclusive,

and an adaptable type of therapy, as there are many options and methods to use. This type of

therapy shows significant improvements in patients’ functioning ability, particularly with

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behavioral health. (Business Insights 2017). In many cases this improvement makes it easier for

others to understand a struggling individual. Art therapy, is helpful in improving the behavior of

individuals, and therefore would be a good solution for helping those with autism spectrum

disorder that have behavioral problems as well. “Our focus (at the behavioral health for the

region) is on recovery… Over the years, we have learned that when people feel closed off due to

an illness. It is very difficult for them to express what they are experiencing. Since they can’t

express it clearly, they often act out in a ways that are misunderstood or even dangerous.”

(Business Insights, 2010). Those with behavioral problems are misunderstood because they

cannot express themselves effectively or clearly enough. They need a way to show their thinking

and express themselves and their thoughts and intentions, and art therapy is a good way to do

that since it focuses on self expression, and improving communication.

Through various studies, it has been discovered that art therapy is proven to help with

behavioral problems. “Art therapies can yield significant improvements in patients’ functioning

and systematically incorporate them within other therapeutic programs, particularly behavior

health.” (Business Insights, 2017). Art therapy can help those with autism spectrum disorder to

function better and improve their behavior because it provides them with a way to channel their

emotions and thoughts. “In general, it can help with overall behaviors to those with and without

disabilities. A study found that art therapy improved the wellbeing of cancer patients, and also

decreased their negative emotions. Another random study found that cognitive behavior

improved in adults after theater art.” (Business Insights, 2010). Since art therapy has proven so

helpful in other cases, improving both behaviors and attitudes, it makes sense that it would help

those with autism as well. Using similar methods, and adapting them to any other needs that
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those with autism spectrum disorder have will help it to cater to the individual. This will make it

effective based on specific needs that the therapist finds. The way art therapy adapts to target the

patient's specific need ¨is based on experiences and theories assuming that the creative process

involved in artistic self-expression supports people to handle their problems. As a consequence

the most often described aims of art therapy are: increasing self-esteem and self-awareness,

developing coping skills, supporting bereavement and acceptance, achieving insight, structuring

behavior, reducing stress, and developing interpersonal skills.” (The Arts in Psychotherapy,

2014). The aims of art therapy build up the skills that those with autism spectrum disorder lack;

behavioral, cognitive, and speech disabilities; therefore, art therapy could be very beneficial to

them. Based on the evidence from the studies, and the possibilities that come from this therapy

being so adaptable, art therapy seems to be a very reasonable method to help improve behavioral

issues.

No disability is the same, so no treatment, therapy method, or prescription can be the

same either. Everyone responds differently to various types of methods, and therefore the

method must adapt to fit the patient in order for it to be effective. Art therapy is very adaptable.

It works towards specific needs by aiming to improve what they are struggling to achieve. The

art method used is based on the disability they are challenged with.“Children aimed at symbolic

expression, mostly use drawing materials such as crayon, paint and water, and clay. The other

group works with all kinds of material, offering varied tactile and kinesthetic experiences to

evoke sensory awareness and expression.” (The Arts in Psychotherapy, 2014). Art therapy caters

to each person’s need to make sure that the treatment supports them and the skills they are

working to improve. For an individual with high functioning autism (HFA), the therapist used
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visual techniques to help with the developmental delay the patient had. This showed

improvement in communications skills and social behaviors. In turn, it improved his self image

and attitude. In another case, the individual had nonverbal behaviors. This patient benefited from

a visual approach as well by expressing themselves through drawing and other visual arts

(Bragge and Fenner, 2009). Art therapy is not just limited to visual arts however, it extends to

written and spoken arts as well. Expressing yourself comes very often through words. When you

talk to someone, or write, it is a type of self expression. Poetry and written word can help

improve behavior. “Poetry and art have been particularly valuable in the unit, she says, since so

many clients are troubled by a thought disorder or auditory hallucination, and find it is difficult

to speak openly. Poetry, for example, gives them a way to focus and form their words and

thoughts.” (Business Insights, 2010). Poetry and written word are used by many therapists to

help their patients with behavioral issues to form thoughts and words, which has helped to ease

and calm them. It has given them a voice. People having success in their recovery, recover better,

which is why it is important that treatment is adaptable. Nobody is the same. We all need

different things to fulfill our individual needs.

Art therapy also opens communication doors that are limited to those with autism

spectrum disorder. By opening these doors, it could potentially knock down some of the barriers

that are put up, causing the struggle to communicate, which can cause behavioral issues. Studies

show that children diagnosed with ASD imply restricted possibilities in social communications,

and have repetitive and obsessive behaviors. “Those children have special ways of information

processing.” (The Arts in Psychotherapy, 2014). This study points out that they can process

information, it is just in different and unique ways. “Children with ASD show a wide range of
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possibilities for expression, developmental levels, shapes, themes, and interests. This cluster can

be divided in four topics: experiences with art materials; shapes and themes; development and

personal artwork; and verbal and nonverbal communication.” (The Arts in psychotherapy, 2014).

By providing specialized ways for them to communicate, and catering to the individuals in the

art therapy program, it will help provide them with different options to communicate. This will

benefit them because it opens the doors, as previously mentioned, and makes it possible for them

to find a new way to communicate that is based of the way they are already living.

Since those with behavioral problems are misunderstood because they cannot express

themselves effectively or clearly enough, they need a way to be able to show their thinking and

express themselves. Art therapy is a good way to do that since it focuses on self expression, and

improving communication. Everyone can benefit from a system that will adapt to fit their needs,

so ASD individuals should benefit from an adaptable system as well. Art therapy is adaptable to

the individual and provides many opportunities and benefits. Behavioral problems decrease due

to a focus in improving communication, attitude, and understanding. The barrier this disability

puts up is lessened a great deal due to the work done with art therapy techniques. It is helpful in

improving the behavior of individuals by working with them, adapting to their needs, and

offering them new options and solutions, and therefore would be a good solution for helping

those with autism spectrum disorder that have shown behavioral problems as well. The therapy

targets struggles these individuals have and helps them to overcome them through various

methods. Helping to improve behavior will help decrease the likelihood of self-injurious

behavior, harming others, tantrums, and aggression. People with autism spectrum disorder
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deserve to have a voice, and to be understood, and art therapy could be a good way to

accomplish this.

Reference page

American Art Therapy Association. (2014). About art therapy. Retrieved from

www.arttherapy.org

Celine Schweizer. Art Therapy with Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder:

A Review of Clinical cases descriptions of ‘what works’. ScienceDirect.com

New government survey pegs autism prevalence at 1 in 45. (2015, November 13). Retrieved

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Retrieved November 30, 2017, from

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