ACCEPTANCE AND BELONGING - THE PROMOTION OF ACCEPTANCE AND BELONGING WITHIN GROUP ART-THERAPY - A STUDY OF 2 LONELY 3RD GRADE STUDENTS

Two third grade students, one boy and one girl, participated in an eig ht-week art therapy intervention plan designed to address their report ed loneliness. Both were members of a seven-member art therapy social skills group in a school setting, designed to help children examine th eir attitudes and beliefs about relationships. Three art therapy inter ventions, employing a variety of media, focused on relationships in ge neral, relationships within the group, and on strategies for meeting p ersonal needs within the group. Both participants completed Asher's Ch ildren's Loneliness Scale (CLQ) before and after the intervention. In addition, they completed a direct measure, the Self Inventory of Lonel iness (SIL), on a biweekly basis to assess feelings of connectedness w ith others. Results were mixed for both children.