Using Art Therapy and TF-CBT to Reduce Anxiety adn Depression in Adolescents Who Have Sexually Offended
Graduation Date
Spring 2014
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Document Form
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy
Degree Granting Institution
Notre Dame de Namur University
Program Name
Art Therapy
Dean
John Lemmon, PhD
First Reader
Jennifer Harrison, PsyD, DAAETS, ATR-BC
Second Reader
Deann Acton, LMFT, ATR-BC
Abstract
The intent of this grant proposal is to secure funding for a trauma-focused CBT and art therapy program to decrease anxiety and depression among adolescents that have sexually offended. The proposed art therapy program will serve as an adjunct to an existing sexual offense psychoeducational group at the same agency and clinic. The goal is to integrate art therapy services as an integral part of juvenile sex offender treatment, and to address anxiety and depression in adolescents that have a history of trauma. The art therapy program will decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression so that the adolescent can participate more efficiently in the sexual offense specific group. These issues will be addressed by using the creative process of art making and trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy. This research grant proposes a 14-week trauma focused- CBT art therapy program with adolescents that have sexually offended, which is hypothesized to decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression measured by the Beck Youth Inventories-Second Edition and pre and post program surveys.