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carer. A baby who does not receive emotional com- resulting social pressures and transition to adulthood,
munication or experiences erratic and stressful situa- can lead to a rise in delinquent behaviours and diffi-
tions may not develop and grow correctly. The child culty in how to treat them.
who does not form successful attachments may show
Why art therapy: a review
outward signs of aggression and rage, or become un-
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responsive and withdrawn. Research suggests that art therapy is a useful
Emotional, physical and sexual abuse, neglect, practice for exploring issues regarding trauma, child-
rejection and a lack of affection from a childûs early hood abuse, anxiety disorders and anger manage-
days are an important contributory factor to attach- ment, among others.
ment concerns. For example, physical abuse has a Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy where
damaging effect and prevents both language and learn- clients use art materials to explore their inner worlds;

ing development. Children who are adopted or fos- it can be a non-verbal process and is about learning
tered are also described as being more likely to have and gaining insight into how one sees, understands
unresolved issues concerning their past history. and interprets the çworldsé around one, in terms of
Trauma of any kind can result in loss of mean- the inner world of emotion, memory, experience and
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ing and identity with an accompanying loss of self- relationship.
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esteem. Cohen, Barnes, and Rankin elaborated on Riley and Moon describe art therapy as a mo-
this process, explaining that a traumatized personûs dality that commonly diminishes adolescent resistance,
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sense of self may become eclipsed by the trauma, calling it çthe natural language of adolescentsé.
causing a strong identification with post-traumatic This is due to many adolescents not being in-

feelings of shame, guilt, helplessness, hopelessness, terested or able to talk to an authority figure; resent-
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abnormality, and worthlessness. Reasoner describes ment, anger or disappointment may lead to a distrust
lack of self-esteem as being closely associated with of adults; traditional verbal psychotherapy may make
many serious problems facing adolescents, including someone feel as if he or she is thought to be çmad,é
poor academic performance, substance abuse, and and so art therapy can be a less threatening way to
criminal behaviour. approach issues. It is an alternative way to engage
Anger as a result of situation or personal his- with complex difficulties and issues as many adoles-

tory is also an important factor behind many crimes cents are more willing to be creative and make art.
committed by young offenders. Aggressive and vio- Of course this is not across the board and some
lent crimes are often the result of acting out feelings adolescents can, at first, also find it threatening due
of anger, which, in turn, often emerge from the trauma to the associations with school, or regard it as child-
of loss, deprivation, or any abuse which damages the ish, an activity suitable only for çittle kids.é
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individualûs ability to form satisfactory relationships. Riley went on to articulate several developmen-
Traumatic experiences in early attachment can also tal factors that make art therapy an especially useful
lead to difficulties in social behaviour and a lack of modality in treating adolescents; the strong creative
empathy toward others, which would indicate an in- drive of adolescents in general and the compatibility

ability to effectively regulate emotions and being of utilizing art-making to express and experiment with
unable to understand how actions have impacts on the process of creating an identity. She further noted
others. that the adolescent process of separating from par-
In addition to these contributory factors the natu- ents and establishing more self-authority is honored
ral difficulties encountered in adolescence, with the by the personal choices and control inherent in art-