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The Benefits of Creative Art Therapy for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review of the Literature

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder typically diagnosed during childhood. The primary symptoms of ASD include language impairments and deficits in social skills, which can negatively affect the overall quality of life. Traditional treatment for ASD includes medication, applied behavior analysis, physical therapy, and occupational therapy; however, these treatments may have unwanted side effects and fail to address the psychosocial challenges that may result from ASD symptoms. There has been increasing interest in alternative forms of therapy, such as creative art therapies; however, the types of creative art that have been used during therapy and their benefits are not well-established. This literature review examined the effects of creative art therapy interventions on psychosocial and behavioral outcomes in youth with ASD. A total of nine studies met the inclusion criteria. The majority of studies examined music or drama therapy, and all of the studies showed improvements in social skills outcomes. While more research is needed, there is promising evidence in the literature that creative art therapies can be effective in improving symptoms and helping promote positive behaviors.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:ucf.edu/oai:stars.library.ucf.edu:honorstheses-2122
Date01 January 2021
CreatorsAkridge, Jazlyn Marie
PublisherSTARS
Source SetsUniversity of Central Florida
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typetext
Formatapplication/pdf
SourceHonors Undergraduate Theses

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