Art Matters: Findings from the Art Studios Impact Study

Image Credit: http://vrtas.ca/about/the-art-studios/

The Art Studios is a community psychosocial rehabiliation program that uses art-making as the medium to engage clients living with mental illness in learning and practicing life skills. The program is run by occupational therapists, rehabilitation assistants, art instructors, peer support workers and volunteer. 

The Art Studios Impact Study is a one-year program evaluation to begin to document the benefits of the program. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of participation in the Art Studios program on members' psychosocial recovery, well-being, and achievement of goals specific to engaging in everyday life activities. 

CAOT-BC was present for Art Matters - an evening of findings presentation, sharing of individual perspectives, networking and discussion at the Art Studios. 

Image Credit: http://vrtas.ca/about/the-art-studios/

Key messages from the study...

Art Studios participants demonstrating measurable and meaningful improvement in their capacity to engage in practice and relevant life activities 

Art Studios participants showed stability in measures of psychosocial recovery, self-esteem, and health/disability. 

The positive impact of the Art Studios on its members' lives is profoundly apparent in narrative data, indicating that participants attribute achievement of recovery goals to a learning environment that is safe and non-judgmental, with abundant feedback. This enables them to gain confidence and a sense of self-worth to move into increasingly challenging roles and responsibilities and contribute to the community. 

For more information about this study and the status of academic papers, please contact: 
Catherine Backman, Professor/Principle Investigator or Natasha Damiano, Research Coordinator