The document summarizes a research study that examined the effects of group therapeutic art projects on reducing sexual trauma in sexually abused children aged 6-12. 30 participants were divided into an experimental group that underwent art therapy and a control group. Pre- and post-tests using the Sexual Assault Symptom Scale found a significant reduction in reported trauma for the experimental group compared to the control group. This suggests that group art therapy may help rehabilitate sexually abused children by giving them an outlet to express difficult emotions and experiences. However, the study also noted some limitations and room for improvement in intervention tools. Overall, the research provides tentative evidence that therapeutic art projects in a group setting can help decrease symptoms of trauma in sexually abused youth.

1. TITLE:
REHABILITATION OF
SEXUALLY ABUSED
CHILDREN THROUGH
GROUP THERAPEUTIC
ART PROJECT
Fe Mae E. Garrote
Maria Sheena M. Merida
Jo Anne Marie O. Ramonal

2. ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of
group therapeutic art project in reducing sexual trauma in
sexually abused children. The researchers used two matched
group designs. Thirty participants aged 6 to 12 were purposely
divided into Experimental and Controlled Group. Sexual Assault
Symptom Scale was used as pre and post-test while T test to
analyze the results of the experiment and to determine the
effectiveness of group therapeutic art project. It is hypothesized
that group therapeutic art project do not rehabilitate the sexually
abused children. The result of the study conducted and
supported the hypothesis, making the statement that there is no
effect in reducing sexual trauma using group therapeutic art
project.

3. Group Therapeutic Art Project
involves a Holistic approach in that it
only addresses emotional and
cognitive issues but also enhances
social, physical and developmental
growth. Various studies have
demonstrated the efficacy of group
therapeutic art project to help with
the immediate discharge of tension
and simultaneously minimize anxiety
levels of sexually abused children
who have common behavioral
symptoms found include irritability,
frequent soiling, nightmares, suicide
attempts and confusion about sexual
boundaries.

4. A child sexually abused is recognized
as having a traumatic experience
that can have a number of adverse
effects. Sexually abused children
generally reveal significant problems
in diverse areas of functioning
including those of affect, behavior,
cognition and interpersonal
relationships. (Collier, & Parillo,
2008; Gardner, 2007; Mazza, 2009).
Therefore, children may experience
difficulties in integrating the
experience of abuse and processing
it emotionally and cognitively due to
developmental immaturity (Ryan
2010). Difficulties associated with
the treatment of sexually abused
children relate to their inability to
verbalize their emotions and
thoughts generated by the abuse.

5. Art therapy can be beneficial
to people of all ages, but it is
especially useful for children.
Art is a natural form of
communication for children
because it is easier for the
children to express
themselves visually rather
than verbally. This is
particularly true for children
who have experienced
sexual trauma. Members of
the American Art Therapy
Association hope that this
information will give those
working with traumatized
children and their families a
greater understanding of
how art therapy can be used
to support trauma recovery.

6. The Rehabilitation through
Group Therapeutic Art Project are
very beneficial for sexually
abused children. Many sexually
abuse crisis centers are based on
crisis theory and supportive
psychotherapy groups. They rely
on dissemination of information,
active listening and emotional
support (Resick et al., 2009).
Group sharing of experience may
affect patients’ numbness,
isolation and fear of isolation.
(Rosenhan et al., 2010) Cryer and
Beutler (2011) found that most
members of the group improved
significantly in measures of fear
and anxiety.

7. Learned Helplessness Theory
Martin Seligman developed
the Learned Helplessness theory,
finding to be psychological condition
in which human being has learned to
act or behave helplessly in a
particular condition. In relation to
the study, the theory was extended
to human behavior concerning the
common behavioral symptoms in
particular to sexually traumatized
children. Children may perceive
events as uncontrollable and
unpredictable, the more stress they
experience, and the less they feel
about making changes in their lives.

8. The researchers’ study had
three purposes. First, it was
designed to determine the
significance of group therapeutic
art project in reducing sexual
trauma. If the therapy reduced
the trauma, then it indicated that
there is relationship between the
two.
Next, is to identify the
effect of group art therapy in
sexually traumatized children.
Lastly, to statistically measure the
rehabilitation of sexually abused
children through group
therapeutic art project.

9. R
e
s
e
a
r
c
h
P
a
r
a
d
I
g
m
That human has learned to believe helplessly even when the
opportunity is restored for it to itself by avoiding an unpleasant or
harmful circumstance to which it has been subjected.
Participants
(6-12 years old; sexually abused)
Sexually Abused
Experimental
Group
Sexually Abused
Controlled
Group
Sexual Assault
Symptom Scale
(SASS)
Sexual Assault
Symptom Scale
(SASS)
Pre-test
Pre-test
Group
Therapeutic Art
Project
(Self-portrait)
Sexual Assault
Symptom Scale
(SASS)
Post-test
Sexual Assault
Symptom Scale
(SASS)
Post-test
There is a significant effect in reducing sexual trauma
by using Group Therapeutic Art Project

10. Method
Participants
This study had covered thirty
female aged six to twelve years of
age and has a background on sexual
abuse. The said participants came
from Kaisahang Buhay Foundation in
Quezon City. The participants will be
purposively selected. A consent
letter was given to the foundation
through the assistance of the
Director that also educated the
participants about this whole
experiment. Thirty participants were
divided into two groups fifteen for
the Experimental group and fifteen
for the Controlled group.

11. Materials
Sexual Assault Symptoms
Scale was administered to
participants to determine the level
of sexual trauma. The Sexual Assault
Symptom Scale developed by Libby
O. Ruch (1991), it is a self-report
measurement that is relatively brief
and was used to assess initial
symptoms of sexual assault trauma
syndrome. The said test is used in
the evaluation of children who have
experienced traumatic
events, including physical and sexual
assaults, victimization by
peers, major losses, the witnessing
of violence done to others and
natural disasters.

12. Design
This study is based on Martin
Seligman’s Learned Helplessness
Theory that the Sexually Abuse
children has learned to act or behave
helplessly in a particular situation.
The participants were asked to take
the Sexual Assaults Symptom Scale
to determine the level of sexually
abused. Two-group design is used;
the independent variable (sexually
abused) is manipulated in at least
two levels or treatment condition.
One group is controlled group, which
receive the zero value of the
independent variable while the
experimental group, exposed to a
non-zero value of the independent
variable. Both groups are then
measured on the dependent variable
(Group Therapeutic Art Project).

13. Procedure
The researchers used thirty
participants aged 6 to 12 were
purposely divided into Experimental
and Controlled Group. Sexual Assault
Symptom Scale was used as pre-test
to determine the level of sexual
trauma. Group therapeutic art
project was given to experimental
group. Materials such as bond paper,
crayons, and color pens, clay,
colored paper, watercolor and
popsicle sticks was used as a group
therapeutic art project. Then we
used Sexual Assault Symptom Scale
as a post-test. To analyze the results
independent T-test was used and to
determine the effectiveness of group
therapeutic art project.

14. Result
The data were analyzed
with 15 participants who
underwent group therapeutic art
project. Independent T-test was
used; a level of alpha set at 0.5
with a 66 degree of freedom and
had a critical value of 2.048 to
determine the significant effect in
rehabilitation of sexually abused
children through group
therapeutic art project.

15. Table 1
Mean Scores and Standards Deviations of Experimental
and Control group.
Group
Mean
Standard Deviation
Pre Experimental
52.25
33.17
Post Experimental
40.71
121.39
Pre Control
58.24
32.79
Post Control
53.83
32.37
Note: The level of alpha set at 0.5 with a degree of
freedom of 66 and a critical value of 2.048

16. Table 2
The significant Effect of Group Therapeutic Art
Project in Reducing Sexual Trauma in Experimental
and Control Group Using Independent T test.
Variables
Pre Control and
Pre Experimental
Mean 1 Mean
TDegrees of
2
Value freedom
58.24
54.25
4.67
Post Control and
Post
Experimental
53.83
Critical
Decision
t-value
40.71
66
2.048
Rejected
Ho

17. Note: The alpha set obtained 0.5
level of significance which is
2.048 with degree of freedom of
66. Since the obtained t value of
4.67 is less than the critical value
from the table, this means that
there is a significant effect in
Rehabilitation of Sexually Abused
Children through Group
Therapeutic Art Project, the
hypothesis was rejected.

18. Table 3
The Percentage of Responses in Sexual
Assault Symptom Scale among Sexually Abused
Children.
Sexual Assault Scale
Percentage
Disclosure shame
49%
Safety Fears
43%
Depression
35%
Self-Blame
50%
Note: The mentioned scale was the factors which contribute
in their emotional trauma.

19. The evidence showed that
there were changes in the
intervention as days went by, for
example, there were few
participants who have done and
followed the instruction correctly
but there were also instances that
they could not figure out what to be
done, as an outcome it did not match
to what has been instructed.
However, the result of Sexual
Assault Symptom Scale proved that
the rest of participants were able to
finish the transformational selfportrait in one week, nevertheless,
even the participants were able to
finish the intervention as early as the
expected time it was not enough to
reduce sexual trauma. The findings
were able to determine that group
therapeutic art is an effective tool to
reduced sexual trauma.

20. Based on the results, it is
recommended to conduct a
different tool such as, workshops
where participants will be
emotionally inclined to deal with
difficult and negative
experiences. Also, a tool that will
increase their awareness of the
previous experience through
exploring inner issues (e.g.
cognitive therapy). In addition,
future researches related to this
study will have a clearer
understanding in dealing with
sexually abused children.

21. The results suggest that this
group therapeutic art project may
improve symptoms of depression
and anxiety. This study is another
building block in the literature on
sexual abuse intervention and it is
hoped that future studies on the
effectiveness of this intervention
for sexually abused children are
performed.

22. THANK YOU
AND
GOD BLESS!