Bridging psychological barriers between the child and the father after his returning from the war: Could group art therapy help?

Introduction. War veterans with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have poorer family and parenting functioning, but little research has focused on these impairments. Case re-port. This paper presented how the series of drawings and the group art therapy process enhanced bridging...

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Main Author: Mandić-Gajić Gordana
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia, University of Defence, Belgrade 2016-01-01
Series:Vojnosanitetski Pregled
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0042-8450/2016/0042-84501500082M.pdf
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author Mandić-Gajić Gordana
author_facet Mandić-Gajić Gordana
author_sort Mandić-Gajić Gordana
collection DOAJ
description Introduction. War veterans with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have poorer family and parenting functioning, but little research has focused on these impairments. Case re-port. This paper presented how the series of drawings and the group art therapy process enhanced bridging the psychological barriers of a 33-year-old male PTSD war veteran to engagement with the child. After two years of deployment he returned home and suffered mostly from PTSD numbness and avoidance symptoms. The veteran had the family readjustment difficulties and felt guilty for being detached from his 3-year-old son. He under-went integrative treatment in the Day Unit Program. The drawings series were made by free associations. Clinical observations and group discussions were recorded in the group art therapy protocols. The presented patient got gratifications and support from the group members for his illustration of popular cartoon heroes, and decided to draw Mickey Mouse at home. On the next session he shared his satisfaction for bridging the gap between him and his son, having done the same drawings with his son at home. Beck's depression inventory (BDI) was used for self-rating of depression and a reduction of BDI score from 18 to 6 during the treatment course was recorded. Conclusions. Series of drawings illustrated shift from war related past toward current family life of the war veteran. Group art therapy gave him gratification and support with hope and a sense of belonging, thus facilitated his parenting readjustment.
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spelling doaj-art-492944b142464d7cb89fd93d24a07f6f2025-08-20T03:36:48ZengMinistry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia, University of Defence, BelgradeVojnosanitetski Pregled0042-84502406-07202016-01-0173768668910.2298/VSP150429082M0042-84501500082MBridging psychological barriers between the child and the father after his returning from the war: Could group art therapy help?Mandić-Gajić Gordana0Military Medical Academy, Clinic for Psychiatry, Belgrade, Serbia + University of Defence, Faculty of Medicine of the Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, SerbiaIntroduction. War veterans with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have poorer family and parenting functioning, but little research has focused on these impairments. Case re-port. This paper presented how the series of drawings and the group art therapy process enhanced bridging the psychological barriers of a 33-year-old male PTSD war veteran to engagement with the child. After two years of deployment he returned home and suffered mostly from PTSD numbness and avoidance symptoms. The veteran had the family readjustment difficulties and felt guilty for being detached from his 3-year-old son. He under-went integrative treatment in the Day Unit Program. The drawings series were made by free associations. Clinical observations and group discussions were recorded in the group art therapy protocols. The presented patient got gratifications and support from the group members for his illustration of popular cartoon heroes, and decided to draw Mickey Mouse at home. On the next session he shared his satisfaction for bridging the gap between him and his son, having done the same drawings with his son at home. Beck's depression inventory (BDI) was used for self-rating of depression and a reduction of BDI score from 18 to 6 during the treatment course was recorded. Conclusions. Series of drawings illustrated shift from war related past toward current family life of the war veteran. Group art therapy gave him gratification and support with hope and a sense of belonging, thus facilitated his parenting readjustment.http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0042-8450/2016/0042-84501500082M.pdfstress disorderspost-traumaticwarfamilyparent-child relationsart therapy
spellingShingle Mandić-Gajić Gordana
Bridging psychological barriers between the child and the father after his returning from the war: Could group art therapy help?
Vojnosanitetski Pregled
stress disorders
post-traumatic
war
family
parent-child relations
art therapy
title Bridging psychological barriers between the child and the father after his returning from the war: Could group art therapy help?
title_full Bridging psychological barriers between the child and the father after his returning from the war: Could group art therapy help?
title_fullStr Bridging psychological barriers between the child and the father after his returning from the war: Could group art therapy help?
title_full_unstemmed Bridging psychological barriers between the child and the father after his returning from the war: Could group art therapy help?
title_short Bridging psychological barriers between the child and the father after his returning from the war: Could group art therapy help?
title_sort bridging psychological barriers between the child and the father after his returning from the war could group art therapy help
topic stress disorders
post-traumatic
war
family
parent-child relations
art therapy
url http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0042-8450/2016/0042-84501500082M.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT mandicgajicgordana bridgingpsychologicalbarriersbetweenthechildandthefatherafterhisreturningfromthewarcouldgrouparttherapyhelp