Expressive Arts as a Social and Community Integration Tool for Youth Recovering From Brain Injury

This study utilizes a novel technique—expressive arts therapy—to facilitate social integration for youth recovering from acquired brain injury (ABI). Expressive arts therapy is defined as the use of the arts and artistic media to explore psychological aspects of life. An expressive art (also referred to as 'creative arts' or even just 'arts') encompasses drama, music, art (visual arts such as painting, sculpture etc) and dance/movement. It has great potential to improve community integration for youth recovering from ABI, through facilitating skills required for successful social communication and social cognition. It is hypothesized to improve social and emotional functioning compared to a less structured creative arts program. It is expected that a combination of directed group activities and self-reflection within a creative learning context will improve emotional awareness and social and community integration to a greater degree than a non-expressive creative arts therapy group, in youth who have suffered an ABIAs community integration enables meaningful and productive occupational engagement, enabling opportunities for occupational engagement through increased community integration would greatly enhance the quality of life of adolescents with ABI.