Art therapists' assessment practices in the inpatient psychiatric facility: a descriptive survey

Kirsten Knoblauch

doi:10.17918/etd-6110

This study explores the assessment practice of art therapists working in inpatient psychiatric facilities. This investigation is significant because while inpatient psychiatry emphasizes assessment, and continues to be a common employment setting for art therapists, little is known about their current assessment practice in this setting. State-of-the-field information is necessary if professions are to support clinicians, adapt to the changing role of treatment settings, and thereby uphold their responsibility to clients. A descriptive survey in the form of an interview was created. Five art therapists, all credentialed professionals representing a range of 13 to 40 years of practice were interviewed. Interviews were coded then synthesized into themes. Participants' assessment practices were found to be influenced by both changes in the treatment setting, and the values of their profession. Participants described clinical evaluation as one of their primary responsibilities. While this makes their self-perceived role consistent with the function of the treatment setting, conflict was noted between the impositions of the setting and participants' professional identities. Participants use multiple assessment formats with separate goals and purposes, and consider their use of art-based assessment to be more genuine than other assessments required by the facility. Participants described using primarily informal assessments. This was found to be the case despite knowledge of available standardized tools, and the emphasis of current mental health care on evidence-based practice. The need for a structured, if not standardized tool/process was suggested by participants' current assessment practice, which must meet the documentation requirements of the setting while upholding the values of clinicians. The findings of this study, though not generalizable, suggest a number of questions for future research including: What qualities would be most valued in an art-based assessment tool designed for use in inpatient psychiatry? What type of clinical information would be most relevant to art therapists' practice in this specific setting? How can the profession of art therapy support practitioners in developing and adapting their practice to specific settings? Answering these questions may support the profession of art therapy, and its practitioners, by developing processes that broaden the field's relevance and efficacy across mental health contexts, thereby improving client care.

Art therapists' assessment practices in the inpatient psychiatric facility: a descriptive survey

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Art therapists' assessment practices in the inpatient psychiatric facility: a descriptive survey

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