Case study: art therapy care to primary caregiver, mother of a child with leukemia to promote emotional expression and functional coping

Abstract

An art therapy intervention was conducted with a mother who was the primary caregiver a child suffering from Leukemia. The general aim was to promote emotional expression and the development of adaptive coping strategies during the child’s illness. An art therapy intervention program was applied along four dimensions: diagnosis, sensitization and psycho education, symbolic progress, and closure. Results show that, during art therapy, a creative process was used that led to the resolution of emotional conflicts and the restructuring of emotional conflicts and the development of coping strategies.