Promoting kindergarten readiness using early intervention art therapy with Latinx farmworker children. (April 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Van Lith, Theresa; Quintero, Angela; Johns, Sarah; Grzywacz, Joseph G.
• Is Part Of: Arts in psychotherapy. Volume 73(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-04
• Subjects: Latinx children -- Farmworker families -- Early intervention -- Kindergarten readiness -- Group art therapy; Art therapy -- Periodicals; Dance therapy -- Periodicals; Music therapy -- Periodicals; Poetry -- Therapeutic use -- Periodicals; 616.891656
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aip.2020.101753
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0197-4556

Abstract

Highlights: Early intervention art therapy can assist with kindergarten readiness. Art therapy is a culturally sensitive strategy for Latinx farmworker children. Art-based indicators can be observed to demonstrate client progress. Abstract: Latinx farmworker children are a vulnerable and disparate health population that confronts a myriad of threats to their emotional and behavioral health and subsequent development. Art therapy provides a potentially valuable and efficient strategy for preventing young children's mental health problems by providing a structured and engaging outlet for resolving the emotional sequelae of chronic adversity. A narrative-focused and trauma-processing art therapy program was implemented with 14 children aged between 3–5 years over 12 sessions in a bi-weekly format within a rural migrant head start program. We used a simple single group pre/posttest design to examine the impact of this intervention and saw improvement in all developmental areas using a specifically designed art therapy observation measure (ATC-PC) and a routine early development measure (LAP-3). However, it was unclear whether these changes were attributable to the art therapy program alone. Therefore, the findings of this pilot study warrant replication at a wider-scale. Additionally, the ATC-PC was shown to be a promising observation tool to document progress in art therapy with young children that also requires wider implementation and further testing.