Mrs Sarah Versitano1,2, Dr Joy Paton2, Dr Iain Perkes1, Dr Artur Schvetcov1
1Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Australia, 2Western Sydney University, Australia
Biography:
Sarah Versitano is a senior art therapist based at an acute inpatient child and adolescent mental health unit in Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network (SCHN). She is a PhD candidate in the School of Social Sciences at Western Sydney University, where she is also a clinical supervisor for the Master of Art Therapy program.
Abstract:
This presentation explores art therapy in acute inpatient child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), with a focus on reducing levels of distress which may otherwise result in the use of restrictive practices, such as seclusion and physical restraint. Two key studies are presented, highlighting both quantitative and qualitative outcomes of art therapy in this context.
The first study analysed the relationship between art therapy service provision and the rate, frequency, and duration of restrictive practices. Findings demonstrated that periods with art therapy were associated with a statistically significant reduction in the use of seclusion, physical restraint, and intramuscular injected sedation. These findings suggest that art therapy plays a critical role in minimising the need for restrictive practices in mental health settings.
The second study focused on the experiences of 12 young people, aged 12-17, who participated in semi-structured, arts-based interviews during their inpatient stay. Young people shared that art therapy helped regulate their emotions by externalising internal states, providing freedom, choice and agency, and experiencing positive physiological and emotional effects.
"It let me release a lot of stuff that I was bottling up, and stuff that I couldn’t explain through words." (Participant in arts-based interview)
Both studies underscore the therapeutic benefits of art therapy in inpatient CAMHS, demonstrating its potential to support emotional regulation and significantly reduce the use of restrictive interventions during inpatient care. Art therapy emerges as a promising, non-verbal approach for enhancing the mental health and well-being of young people in these settings.