"Flow" in Art Therapy

There have been much larger numbers of immigrants coming to the United States due to globalization.

Often times they face challenges in adjusting to the culture, especially children.

They Experience:

• Difficulty engaging
• Behavioral problems
• Social, emotional distress
• PTSD Symptoms
• Difficulty Communicating

Resulting in:

• Lower levels of happiness
• Anxiety, confusion, helplessness
• Physical restlessness
• Inadequate social interactions
• Disruptive behavior

Art has been seen to help immigrant children learn in the classroom and communicate with others.

The article studied the effect of "flow" which they defined as being completely engrossed in the art process.

The Study

Sampling

• Korean American Family Service Center (KAFSC) located in New York
• 3 Boys ages ranging from 7-11 years old
• Immigrated from South Korea
• Behavioral Problems, language barrier
• Had some artistic interest or skill

Data

• Participants watched a video of their session and then did a post-session interview
• Informal interviews
• Previous case files
• Journal entries and field notes

Categories of Discussion

• Fear and anxiety
• Disruptive behavior and low motivation
• Fun or enjoyment of art
• Concentration and focused behavior
• Safety
• Off-task behaviors (1)dislocation and confusion (2)boredom, limitation and lack of resources (3)conflicts with others

Results

Anxiety and Fear

• Participant 1: Dislocation of frequent moves once in the United States.
• Participant 2: Frequent traveling to unfamiliar places.

Boredom and Social Interaction. Art served as an escape from boredom.

The participants' "flow" transported them to an imaginary world.

They experienced during "flow":

• An altered sense of time
• Focused behavior and increased motivation
• Positive emotions
• Optimal match between skill and challenge
• Make believe characters

They achieved flow by the

Examples of Challenge Matching Skill

• Mike's Castle to a Knight
• John's Pizza to a Chair
• Peter's Volcano to a Castle

Story Making and Story Telling

• Different from reality

Discussion

The study revealed

• Anxiety, fear, boredom and social isolation
• New realities and emotions from the flow experiance
• Allowed them to cope with the real realities of everyday struggles
• "Art therapy helped these young immigrants access their strengths and potential to cope with their difficulties"
• Participants reported enjoyment

When participants experienced "flow", they did not experience behavioral problems or focus difficulties due to a changed perception of time.

Lee, S. Y. (2013). 'Flow' in art therapy: Empowering immigrant children with adjustment difficulties. Art Therapy, 30(2), 56-63. doi:10.1080/07421656.

2013.786978