Clinical Psychology Studies

Abstract Objective: Art therapy has the largest number of therapeutic techniques among all of the known psychotherapies. Although this type of psychotherapy was first established for children, later and over time it has become a method for the treatment of adults. The present research was carried out following two scientific-clinical challenges. The first challenge was related to the large number of adult-specific art therapy techniques and the very small number of children-specific techniques. The current research was originally started with the aim of solving the first challenge, but on the way to achieve this goal, the second challenge also appeared. The recent challenge was related to the validation of innovative techniques. There were no indicators to validate the techniques individually. Therefore, inventing an index to evaluate the efficiency of each technique alone became the second goal of this research.
Research Methodology: All the research sets underlying the present paper were conducted using a single-subject method that falls under the category of experimental research. However, the specific research method can be considered a qualitative method because it was used in both the primary validation (by Delphi method) and the secondary validation of the techniques (based on the efficiency index).
Findings: A total of five art therapy techniques specific to children (Hidden colored pencil, White rug, Patchwork, Ugly painting, & Defensive shield) and an index to evaluate their efficiency are introduced in this study. The results of the validation of the techniques and the degree of concordance between the evaluators' opinions indicate the validity of the techniques introduced in the study.
Conclusion: Based on the research findings, the introduced innovative techniques can be considered valid techniques, but considering the research method, generalization of the results requires more research.

Abstract The consequences of cancer do not just impact on the body only, but expands into the other levels of human existence, including psychological levels. Sometimes these consequences are even more painful and more destructive than physical harms, especially in children. Therefore, the use of psychotherapy for children, particularly art-based psychotherapies, is necessary. So, the main objective of the present research was to develop a new family-based art therapy for hospitalized children with cancer and to evaluation its effectiveness on the symptoms of depression (DEP) and pain anxiety (PA). Five hospitalized children with cancer, participated in this single-subject study (A-B type) accompanied with their mothers. The intervention was applied in eight sessions (30-60 minutes per session). Children’s depression and pain anxiety were measured repeatedly in two phases and data were analyzed by graphs and tables. The effect size (ES) and reliable change index (RCI) are also reported in addition to the customary values. The results showed that family-based art therapy was significantly effective in reducing the symptoms of depression and pain anxiety in all of the children. The findings indicate the effectiveness of family-based art therapy in helping to modify the psychological consequences of cancer, and clarify the need for this approach to be applied in similar conditions.

Abstract The default-mode network (DMN) is one of the human brain’s networks activated in resting and self-referential thinking states. The nature of this network and its normal or abnormal changes has been the subject of various studies. The aim of this study was to systematical review and integrating the findings of that studies focused on the relationship of DMN with mental disorders and aging-induced changes in it. Of the more than 100 evidences found, 32 studies in each of two specific subjects (psychopathological and aging-related changes of DMN) were selected and scientifically mentioned the most important results of them. Based on the findings, some of the mental disorders including major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and Alzheimer disease are associated with functional or connectional abnormalities in DMN. Aging can cause functional changes in the activation or deactivation of the DMN’s regions or inter/intra-network connectivity of this network. Although most of studies have a pathological perspective on DMN changes; one article pointed out the positive role of DMN changes during aging in terms of emotion regulation.