Examining the Level of College Students’ Awareness Regarding the Healing Function of Art Therapy as an Intervention for the Psychological Development of College Students in China

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the level of college students’ awareness regarding the healing functions of art therapy as an intervention for the psychological development of college students in China. Numerous studies have explained the different healing benefits of art therapy to different people all over the world in recent times. This study specifically focuses on three main functions of art therapy for a specific group of individuals-college students in China. The study is anchored on the healing value of art in modern design as identified by (14) and the Functions of Expressive Arts Therapy proposed by Malchiodi. The theoretical framework integrates these two approaches to maximize the healing value of art by combining psychological cues, self-awareness enhancement, and the expressive arts therapy methods. The research is a quantitative descriptive study aimed at determining the level of students’ awareness regarding the healing function of arts for the psychological development of college students. The study data were obtained via questionnaire filled online by the research participants. The research population was students from five schools (SCBC, GMU, BNU, CCOM and SHCM) selected in China, from whom a sample size of 352 was drawn. The questionnaire filled and completed was analysed using SPSS. The study results revealed that there was high level of students’ awareness in all the variables (guide to recognize and explore oneself, healing and appreciating oneself, and unconscious spiritual healing). Based on the study’s findings, the researcher proposed a sustainable art therapy program that can enhance the awareness level of college students regarding the healing benefits of art therapy.