AT 601A ST: Assessment & Appraisal Art Therapy
This course introduces students to the general concept of assessment and purposes of assessment procedures used in art therapy appraisal and evaluation. Students will be introduced to a variety of art therapy assessments and psychotherapeutic instruments utilized in appraisal and evaluation. Students will practice administering the bio-psychosocial assessment, the mental status exam, risk assessment, and an array of art therapy assessment instruments. Additional areas covered include the selection of assessments with clients as the basis of treatment planning and establishing treatment goals; evaluating assessment validity and reliability; documentation of assessment results; and ethical, cultural, and legal considerations in their use. Students will learn to apply knowledge of development, creativity, symbolism, metaphor, and artistic language to the assessment process as well as how this may be influenced by multicultural factors. Using art-based assessments to identify client strengths, resiliency, and resources will be emphasized in addition to identifying diagnostic criteria using the DSM-5. Clinical writing skills as applied to assessment and other documentation will be a focus of course assignments. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to perform interviewing skills, demonstrate case conceptualization skills, apply and identify clinically grounded approaches for assessment and treatment, formulate treatment planning/goal setting informed by their assessments, and be able to complete suicidality and risk assessments. Students will demonstrate knowledge through in class experientials and discussion, by participating in multiple and varied art therapy assessments, and by oral/digital presentation of a selected art therapy assessment.