A Qualitative Tool for Detecting and Approaching Psychological Trauma in Children Victims of the 2009 Italian Earthquake

Abstract

Expressive therapies are considered effective intervention modalities with children who have experienced traumatic events such as natural disasters. Particularly, drawing consent to trauma affected children to convey the complexity of traumatic feelings by giving them a shape and a sense. But the efficacy of art therapies with children exposed to natural disasters, has not been research proved. This chapter present an exploratory and pilot study on the use of the specific technique "Test de trois dessins: avant, pendant et avenir" (Three Pictures Test: Past, Present, and Future), which may accomplish the double function of diagnostic instrument, for detecting the presence of psychological trauma, and therapeutic technique, for facilitating recovery from psychological distress, with children exposed to natural disasters. The graphic tool has been employed with children victims of the Italian earthquake which affected the region of Abruzzi, on the 6th April 2009. The case studies analysis illustrates the efficacy of the test in both detecting the presence and the extent of the psychological trauma, and in enhancing the trauma recovery process. Further researches need to be done in order to validate the use of the "Three Pictures Test: Past, Present, and Future" as a validated technique with children experiencing disasters.

Haitian Children’s Disaster Trauma: Validation of Pictorial Assessment of Resilience and Vulnerability

“…The importance of projective tests is based on the idea that psychological functioning can be expressed through symbols and representations. Talking to therapists may be difficult for children, but through drawings, they can communicate their needs, thoughts, and feelings (Giordano, 2017). In contrast to the difficulty in verbalizing about trauma, "drawing is a natural medium to use with children" (Handler & Thomas, 2014, p. 17) because it places few restrictions on their freedom of expression (Bombi, Pinto, & Cannoni, 2007).…”

Drawing places, recreating spaces: visual voices from at-risk children

“…The contrastive procedure has inspired test material in a clinical setting (Giordano, 2017) to detect the presence of psychological trauma, but to the best of our knowledge, this pictorial task has not been used to access at-risk children's ideas about their living environment, with few drawing-centered educational experiences, and few opportunities to practice drawing.…”