Media art therapy in working with war trauma in children and adolescents

- Вознесенська, Олена Леонідівна (orcid.org/0000-0002-1273-0049) (2023) Media art therapy in working with war trauma in children and adolescents Простір арт-терапії, 2 (34). pp. 5-25. ISSN 2310-3159

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Abstract

In the conditions of war, children need support in their development. Media art therapy – the newest type of art therapy involves the use of modern media in the creative process. The experience of working with children and adolescents affected by the war with the help of media art therapy is analyzed. A total of more than 100 children aged 6 to 16 took part in 10 master classes. Children were invited to create a plasticine animation. Plasticine is a material that helps to work with strong feelings caused by the trauma of war. The children tried themselves in the roles of screenwriters, directors, animators, operators, and sound directors. The script was based on the archetypal motif «The Hero’s Path». This motive corresponds to both the age of the child and the problems that he has to solve during the war. «Dream» was determined by the theme of the animated film. The metaphor of food was used to denote dreams. The image of the Thief was created through the analysis of obstacles on the way to the realization of dreams. All the children called the war an obstacle to the realization of their dreams. The image of the Hero of the film was created through the desired superpowers to overcome obstacles and achieve one’s dreams. Most often, children identified the following superpowers: mastery of time, teleportation, the ability to fly, the presence of cyborg body parts, strength, power. Animated films have a healing potential for viewers to process collective trauma. Markers of psychotrauma were observed in children’s behavior – violations of ideas about the world, about themselves, and in building friendly relationships. Children’s ideas about the current social situation in Ukraine were reflected in the details of animated films, Ukrainian and Russian symbols for heroes, and colors. All the children had pent-up anger. Physical exercises were offered to release it. It was concluded that therapeutic work with trauma should be carried out in the child’s native language. The children’s parents filled out a questionnaire to find out the changes in the children’s health, sleep patterns, nutrition, emotional state and behavior. Sleep improved in 38% of children. Appetite improved in 25% of children. Psychological discomfort (fear, anxiety, fear, panic) decreased in 37% of children. Aggression decreased in 20% of children, passivity in 16%. Only 38% of children who participated in media art therapy classes did not experience any changes in their well-being and emotional state that were noticeable to their parents.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	media art therapy, trauma, animated film, plasticine, Hero’s path.
Subjects:	Science and knowledge. Organization. Computer science. Information. Documentation. Librarianship. Institutions. Publications > 1 Philosophy. Psychology Science and knowledge. Organization. Computer science. Information. Documentation. Librarianship. Institutions. Publications > 3 Social Sciences > 304 Social questions. Social practice. Cultural practice. Way of life (Lebensweise)
Divisions:	The Institute of Social and Political Psychology > Department of Psychology of Mass Communication and Media Education
Depositing User:	Лаборант Д.Б. Говорун
Date Deposited:	14 Jun 2024 06:46
Last Modified:	14 Jun 2024 06:46
URI:	https://lib.iitta.gov.ua/id/eprint/741383

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