Assessing Couples’ Relationships Through Art Making: A Replication Study

• Main Authors: Combe, Courtney, Harden, Spencer
• Format: Others
• Published: Digital Commons at Loyola Marymount University and Loyola Law School 2017
• Subjects: Art Therapy; Marriage and Family Therapy and Counseling; Medicine and Health Sciences; Mental and Social Health
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/etd/301; https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1305&context=etd

This research examined the usefulness of art therapy techniques in the assessment of attachment in couples treatment. This case illustration consisted of one couple who were invited to complete four questionnaires, participate in individual and joint art making tasks. The participants also engaged in conversation and discussion about their art and their experience throughout the art making process. The data was then analyzed and categorized into three emerging themes: (1) Relational dynamic between participants (2) Relationship and response to the art, and (3) Integration of shared and personal experiences. Through the discussion of themes, researchers found that art techniques, specifically the nonverbal joint drawing task, was a beneficial and useful tool to assess a couple’s attachment.