Compare and contrast the approach to AT assessment presented in Chapter 7 to at least 2 different approaches to assessment in mental health treatment.
"In the process of assessment, wilderness adventure experiences can be viewed as similar to projective psychological tests..."(Gass, Gillis, and Russell 2012).
There are many different approaches to mental health treatment. Each different approach also comes with a different assessment. According to the book, the macro view of assessment in Adventure Therapy is seen in the CHANGES model (Gass, Gillis, and Russell 2012). Part of the CHANGES model is made up of the three elements of adventure therapy assessment: Diagnosis and design, Delivery, and Debrief. "We have found the CHANGES model to be a helpful way to organize interactive steps to acquire information and reflect upon it to enable the development of functional client change"(Gass, Gillis, and Russell 2012).
There are seven stages to the CHANGES model (context, hypotheses, action, novelty, generating, evaluation and solutions). I will provide an example from each of theses steps:
1. How long will the client be involved?
2. What behavior might be expected?
3. How involved individuals are in adventure experiences?
4. The use of new experiences to bring out the real self, instead of the "socially proper self"
5. What are specific qualities of the group?
6. Was the hypothesis confirmed or rejected?
7. What is the solution to the problem?
As I was reading a study on Mental health assessment in rehabilitation I learned that assessment in mental health research has evolved from only focusing on symptoms and diagnosis to addressing a broad range of change. Which ironically enough is the acronym for the assessment model used in AT (McQuaid, Marx, Rosen, etc. 2012). To focus in more on a specific type of therapy I will give the details of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This type of therapy builds a set of skills that helps the client to be aware of their thoughts and emotions. This is accomplished by: first identifying how situations, thoughts and behaviors can influence our emotions and what the consequences of those thoughts are. Throughout this process the clients would be able to complete surveys or something of the sort to convey how they are feeling and how their thoughts are changing about the situation.
Here is a video that shows what Cognitive Behavior Therapy is all about:
I found it interesting to explore the type of assessment that is done in Art Therapy. According to Donna J. Betts in her doctoral dissertation, "Art-based assessment instruments are used by many art therapists to determine a client's level of function; formulate treatment objectives; assess a client's strengths, gain a deeper understanding of a client's presenting problems; and evaluate client progress." Since a lot of the work done through Art Therapy is drawings or paintings, there are different analysis' used to examine those parts of the therapy (Art Therapy Assessment). These are all different steps that relate to the steps we take in AT. Learning the client and how they function, coming up with goals, finding their strengths, and evaluating their progress.
We all make assessments during the day about the various experiences we have and the different problems we face. Along the way we will always assess the situation, consider the possibilities, as the questions that need to be asked, and continue forward towards the end goal that will give us a solution to the problem. This is a parallel to the way that different types of therapies go about figuring out how to help people. I can see similarities in many different ways of going about the assessment in mental health treatment, even though each approach has its own particular qualities.
Citations
Betts, Donna, J. (2005). Art therapy assessment. Retrieved from: http://www.art-therapy.us/assessment.htm
Gass, M. A., Gillis, H.L., Russell, K. C. (2012). Adventure therapy: Theory, research, and practice. New York, Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.
McQuaid, J. R., Marx, B.P., Rosen, M. I., Bufka, L. F., Tenhula, W., Cook, H., & Keane, T. M. (2012). Mental health assessment in rehabilitation research. Journal Of Rehabilitation Research & Development, 49(1), 121-137.
Video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSFaaChAV8I
Leslie, I really liked how you touched on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I never knew that that type of therapy builds a set of skills that helps the client to be aware of their thoughts and emotions. Also I love watching videos and you found a great one to portray what you have discussed in the blog. The video really opened my eyes to the “uniqueness” of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy due to the “supportive therapies and the relationship they develop.” Great job!
ReplyDeleteI also think that art therapy is a very objective field. I have not done much research into the field, but I would believe that it is similar to AT in the fact that there is a “black box effect” where researchers do not necessarily understand when or how the therapy is working, but that it is working. Art therapy has many possible therapeutic factors, such as relaxation or self-expression, but it is difficult to pinpoint the exact aspect of the therapy that is corresponded to the positive behavior. I would assume that art therapy would be very relaxing, and I would be willing to give it a try, if only I could actually draw. Are stick figure allowed?? Interesting post.
ReplyDeleteLuke