臺灣熟齡者參與正向藝術治療團體經驗之探究

本研究旨在探討臺灣熟齡者參與正向藝術治療團體後之經驗，以及參與此正向藝術治療團體對於熟齡者之老化調適影響內涵。本研究以現象學為研究取向，並參考Hycner現象學取向分析方法進行資料分析，共有8位50—65歲熟齡者參與。將熟齡者參與正向藝術治療團體之經驗整理出三個階段，分別是「正向藝術治療團體參與，具象熟齡生活，勾勒理想老化樣貌」、「團體參與歷程，接觸不同熟齡樣貌，拓展優勢與資源」，以及「展現彈性與獨特熟齡樣貌」。研究結果將團體進程歸納出三部分，第一部分為「正向藝術治療團體的參與，展現與看見熟齡者經驗與內在狀態」，當中透過創作主題與藝術媒材，映照熟齡者之內在需求，以及團體中藉由創作與回饋看見過往生命經驗，促進自我關注；第二部分為「團體中創作，運用不同媒材靠近、覺察、拓展熟齡獨特樣貌」，則透過團體成員各自不同藝術表現，看見不一樣的熟齡樣貌，也從團體中刺激運用多元媒材，展現熟齡內在；第三部分為「透過參與正向藝術治療團體，體驗熟齡成功調適歷程」，透過創作與個人之連結，促進整合、接納與珍視邁入熟齡的自己，進一步發展積極行動。最後提出實務上帶領正向藝術治療團體於熟齡族群之相關建議。

Taiwan’s population is aging more rapidly than are those of many countries. Enabling older adults to maintain their physical and mental health and quality of life as they age is an urgent task. Many theories and solutions from the West are adopted due to cultural differences. In this study, to expand and adjust the localized practical experiences reported in the literature (Hendriks et al., 2019), we designed a relevant exploration group for older adults on the basis of the concept of positive art therapy to encourage them to perceive their advantages during the aging process. By drawing on rich life experience and exploring the connotations of actual participation experience and adjusting for aging, we obtained novel insights into how the life happiness of older adults in Taiwan can be improved. Our goal was to explore the subjective experiences of Taiwanese older adults in a positive art therapy group and examine the effect of these experiences on their aging adjustment. Eight healthy adults aged 50–65 years, retired or without a full-time job and living independently, participated in an eight-session positive art therapy program.
A phenomenological approach involving Hycner’s phenomenological orientation was used for analysis. A program was implemented over eight consecutive weeks, with positive art therapy as the main theme. Each session lasted 2 hours, and seven older adults participated in all sessions. One of the participants took one leave of absence and did not fully participate. This program was based on the PERMA (Positive emotion, Engagement, Relationship, Meaning, and Achievemnet) happiness model and had positive psychology as its creative theme. Its basic structure was flexibly adjusted depending on the actual participation status of each participant. In the first week of the program, the group leader asked the participants to select magazine images that reflected their current life to enable them to introduce themselves. Later on, the leader asked the participants to manipulate these images by moving them around to reflect the life that they could foresee for themselves. In the second and third weeks, an artwork theme referred to as“The Greatest Achievement”was adopted. Within this theme, the participants were asked to create secondary artworks and were guided on how to appreciate their own and others’work from an artistic perspective. They were also encouraged to perceive the characteristics and strengths of each artwork. In the fourth week, discussions on achievements and personal strengths were held, supplemented by a list of positive characteristics and exclusive badges. In the fifth week, a creative theme referred to as“Mature Life Challenge”was adopted. In the sixth week, the participants were asked to create another artwork while imagining how this artwork would change if they had someone with whom they could face a particular challenge. Later on, the participants were asked to focus on their interpersonal relationships and resources. In the seventh week, the participants were asked to express themselves through pieces of artistic paper of different textures. At the end of the program, a portfolio was created to collect the artworks created over the preceding weeks. This process enabled the participants to rename and sort the artworks. Once the program was complete, the subjective experiences of the participants were organized into three stages:“Positive Art Therapy Group Participation to Visualize Mature Life and Outline the Ideal Aging Profile,”“Group Participation Experience to Connect with Different Aging Profiles and Expand Strengths and Resources,”and“Demonstrating Flexibility and Diverse Aging Profiles.”
The aging adjustment process of the participants was summarized into three aspects. The first aspect was“Participation in Positive Art Therapy Groups: Expressing and Observing Aging Experiences and Inner States”and reflected that the older adults reflected upon their inner needs and life experiences through theme creation and art media, fostering self-concern through group appreciation and feedback. The second aspect was“Creating in Groups: Using Different Media to Approach, Realize, and Expand the Diversity of Aging Patterns”and reflected that the participants perceived various aging patterns through artistic expression and employed multiple media formats to reveal their needs. The third aspect was“Developing a Unique Aging Pattern through Participation in Positive Art Therapy Groups”and indicated facilitation of the integration, acceptance, and appreciation of older adults through creative expression, fostering the development of positive life actions. Although the participants had different experiences within the positive art therapy group, they all underwent three major processes in the initial, middle, and final stages of the program. These processes involved changes in creative themes, variation in the use of art media, and the formation of self-connections along with the transformation of various characteristics associated with aging. Their creative process integrated positive themes, exploring them through image symbolism, color, fluidity, and plasticity.
Appreciating and examining artworks helped foster mutual learning and influence in the study group. Breakthroughs in the use of media and materials emerged from group participation, shaping each participant’s unique experience. This approach also enabled the participants to perceive a connection between their creations and their personal growth. The program provided opportunities to foster positive actions in later life. Although each participant had a unique experience and process, the program did have an overall effect in terms of aging adjustment. This effect included reflecting upon the inner needs associated with aging; improving the ability to self-focus during this life phase; recognizing the value of maturity; broadening one’s perspective to appreciate the diverse aspects of maturity; integrating, accepting, and appreciating the appearance of maturity; and promoting positive aging actions.
Our findings offer practical recommendations for those wishing to lead positive art therapy groups with older adults. These recommendations emphasize the integration of positive psychological concepts into art creation, diverse media, collaborative group activities, and created artworks. First, participating in positive art therapy groups can help older adults understand their own experiences and needs. They can use creative methods to explore personal problems related to aging. Second, creating in groups and using various media formats can help older adults perceive and embrace the unique aspects of aging, enhancing their acceptance of their aging process. Third, older adults’participation in such groups can have a positive effect on their interpersonal connections and help them establish new personal networks. Fourth, group participation offers various creative and practical guidance methods that help older adults recognize their personal strengths and resources, thereby promoting positive behaviors and preparing them to face future challenges. In terms of research, studies considering factors such as age range, gender ratio, background differences, and data collection methods are required to advance research on positive art therapy for older adults. From a practical perspective, designing positive art therapy groups for older adults should involve integrating guided language based on positive psychology into art creation. This approach should include incorporating diverse art media, engaging in collaborative creation and artwork appreciation, and organizing and documenting created artworks.
This study has some limitations. For instance, the group project was designed to consist of only eight sessions, each lasting 2 hours. This duration was limited by the participants’willingness to engage, which in turn influenced the integrity of their creations. Additionally, the artistic abilities of the participants were not evaluated before the program. These factors were not accounted for in the program’s design, and they represent areas of improvement in future studies.