Therapy Resources

Alternative Complimentary Therapies

Conclusion Part 1

This study has approached the project question, How do self-drawings in art therapy help people with schizophrenia? with four chapters. Chapter one identified how schizophrenic symptoms can be recognised through drawings of the self in the form of personal attributes. Chapter two gave accounts from individual sufferers, displaying their personal experiences and characteristics that mark their illness and the role of self-portraits. The sufferers symptoms can be seen to be expressed through their drawings. Chapter three recognises the importance of the therapist and places emphasis on their facilitation, rather than interpretation. The art therapist's skills and presence help build a therapeutic relationship.

This is pinpointed as having healing qualities of its own. Chapter four draws on the therapeutic properties of self-drawings. Self-expression is one of the main ways that the individual benefits. Understanding their illness helps them gain a clearer sense of self, this is revealed when drawing themselves. Through the individuals engagement in these drawings they can recognise what is real and what are the symptoms of their illness. Thus, in turn, helping them to form an identity and a unclouded view of the world and their place in it.

These chapters and the individual accounts included, therefore reflect how schizophrenia can be identified through drawings of the self and how they can help the sufferer.

However, it should be stated that this has been achieved to only a certain degree. There has been limited investigation within this area, thus, making this dissertation limited. The study carried out by Lev-Wiesel and Shvero (2003) is significant in this area. Identified from their study was the need for clearer definitions of the different sub groups of schizophrenia. This would make the research more precise, as the sub groups have symptoms unique to that group. This would be reflected in the individuals drawings, the indications that matched the groups symptoms would be present. In turn, this would also give the self-drawings more credibility, leading on to a confident diagnosis of the physical symptoms of schizophrenia through self-drawings. As it stands self-drawings are not adequately reliable for diagnosis of schizophrenia and for this reason are not used.