Integrating Group Cognitive Behavioural, Art Psychotherapy for women following childhood sexual abuse

• Published in: International journal of art therapy 2024-01, Vol.29 (1), p.4-18
• Main Authors: Carter, Rosemary, Wigington, Sarah, O-Mahony, Barry, Coates, Rebekah, Crisp, Sally
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: art psychotherapy; Behavior modification; Child sexual abuse; Childhood; Childhood sexual abuse; cognitive behavioural therapy; combined group model; Group therapy; Psychotherapy; Self esteem; Sex crimes; Sexual abuse; Women
• ISSN: 1745-4832; 1745-4840
• DOI: 10.1080/17454832.2023.2226722

Despite the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse, and the number of adults referred to secondary mental services with symptoms of mental distress or disorder who report such a history, there is little in the way of specific recommendations for treatment approaches. We wanted to consider the effectiveness of a combined Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Art Psychotherapy (ApT)* group therapy model (GCB-ApT) for women with experience of childhood sexual abuse. GCB-ApT was delivered to seven groups of female survivors of childhood sexual abuse (n = 41) in community mental health team settings, using a standardised model. There were 32 participants who completed the group, and full data is available for 30 participants. Each group was facilitated by two female therapists - a clinical psychologist and an art psychotherapist. The study was registered with the employing Trust (BSMHFT) as a retrospective evaluation of validated clinical outcome measures routinely administered pre - and post-intervention. Results showed significant post-intervention improvement in the domains of global distress, depression and self-esteem. Results were promising, although numbers were small. Results suggested that group provision using the GCB-ApT model could be a helpful addition to clinical interventions provided for women who have experienced childhood sexual abuse. Further research is recommended. *Some texts referenced may use 'art therapy' rather than 'art psychotherapy'. The abbreviation ApT is used for either throughout. We looked at how we could provide specific ways to help those women referred to Psychological Services who had experienced childhood sexual abuse. There weren't many suggestions from previous research that gave us a confident idea about what specific approach works best. We found evidence that Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Art Psychotherapy can be useful, and we wanted to combine them in a group setting to see how helpful this was. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy looks at how our thoughts might affect our behaviours and feelings, while Art Psychotherapy uses and explores image-making as a way of helping with distressing experiences and emotions. We organised seven groups with a total of forty-one women. Two therapists (one specialist in each therapy) led each group, held over twenty sessions. There were three parts to the group: firstly we covered coping strategies, then we looked in more detail at each person's account of what they had been through.