Aplicación del arteterapia en el desarrollo de capacidades asociativas y cognitivas en personas con discapacidad psíquica

Resumo

Abstract In this study we considered the possible effects of the application of art therapy on the adult mental disabilities. The fundamental theoretical basis of work in art therapy is based on the idea that the psyche is through emotions and experiences that are established and linked through meaningful images that enable the development of the unconscious and its relation with perception and consciousness. The art therapy task allows the individual to find and develop all the potential and significant images concerning conflicts or psychological suffering. The work is based on the theoretical framework that articulates the projection and creative expression as fundamental elements, not only for subjective development, but for the construction and development of those complicated experiences that reverse to symptoms or developmental difficulties. Art Therapy theory is based on the understanding of the subject as a creative subject, "a subject in construction." This involves the theory of the unconscious as a permeable space and in continuous creation and development, its concept as a discipline contrasting with the views offered from psychology and art theory. The research and assumptions that we have raised in this paper focus on the objective study of the effect of Art Therapy on different aspects of health and development in individuals with mental disabilities, questioning whether or not this effect exists, whether it would be positive to the person and in what areas it would be most relevant. The general objective of this research is, thus, to provide distinctive empirical evidence about the impact that participation in an Art Therapy workshop could have on health and development for people with mental disabilities and to obtain data to assess the actual extent of the practice of art therapy among people affected by intellectual deficit. The hypothesis, made from an exploratory perspective, is that work with Art Therapy will mean a significant increase in capacity and functional ability in people with mental disabilities, accompanied by a significant improvement in their associative capacity and development of thought and, as a result, a meaningful evolution of its mental age will occur. The sub-hypotheses suggest that the experience of art therapy in people with disabilities will involve a significant progress in the following areas: 1. Develop capacity to establish meaningful social interactions. 2. Significant increase in ability to pay attention and to take responsibility. 3. Increased capacity of comprehensive and expressive language. 4. Development of capabilities and skills conceptual in nature. From the data obtained, it appears that there are statistically significant differences among mental age means depending on years of participation in the program (F3,28=5,250; p=.005) in the experimental group. In contrast, in the control group no significant changes are observed over time. Likewise, we believe to have obtained data allowing to verify the subhypotheses raised at the beginning. Thus, we can highlight some of the variables that have scored higher and which confirm what was expected from them. These are: - Increased spontaneity. - Developing decision-making ability. - Increased expression ability. - Increased ability to put oneself in someone else's place - Increase in own life memories - Taste for sharing - Valuing emotional expression