Mindfulness-Art Therapy Intervention in Abused Adolescents

Adolescence is an important stage of development when many mental health difficulties first appear. Young people who have experienced abuse are especially vulnerable, as abuse can lead to intense feelings of shame and negatively affect their body self-concept. This study explored whether a group program combining mindfulness and art therapy-called the Mindfulness and Art Therapy Group Program (MATG-P)-could help adolescents with a history of abuse. Mindfulness helps young people become more aware of their thoughts and feelings in a nonjudgmental way, while art therapy allows them to express emotions safely and creatively. Although both approaches have been used separately, their combined effect was not previously studied among vulnerable adolescents. . Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the Mindfulness and Art Therapy Group Program on body self-concept and shame in adolescents with a history of abuse. After completing the intervention and analyzing the data, it was concluded that adolescents who participated in the program showed significant improvements in how they viewed their bodies and experienced lower levels of shame compared to those who did not receive the intervention. These findings suggest that combining mindfulness and art therapy in a group setting may be an effective way to support adolescents who have experienced abuse. Overall, this study highlights the potential contribution of MATG P as a supportive intervention to improve body self-concept and reduce shame among adolescents with a history of abuse.

Inclusion Criteria: * Having a history of abuse * sufficient physical and cognitive ability to participate in the intervention Exclusion Criteria: * Having intellectual disability, developmental delay, visual or sensory motor impairments * a diagnosed psychiatric disorder recorded in the Child Welfare Organization's files