Journal of Psychiatry

Affect regulating arts therapy as child approach for developmental psychopathology

19^th Global Congress on Pediatricians & Child Psychiatry

July 12-13, 2017 Chicago, USA

Wijntje van der Ende

Stenden University, The Netherlands

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Psychiatry

Abstract:

Affect dysregulation is known as an important trigger for psychopathology. Affect Regulating Arts Therapy diminishes emotional and behavioural problems along the pathway of improving the child�??s affect regulation. The aim of this transdiagnostic treatment model is a healthy affect regulation for children with emotional and behavioural problems caused by developmental disorders (ADHD, ASS, LVB, attachment). The model was presented on the First International Mentalizing in Arts Therapies Conference, organized by ICAPT London and PRATT Institute Brooklyn, NY 2016. It is in alignment with the upcoming mentalizing approach that is already evidence based for BPS. It is now developed by The Dutch Knowledge Network, a cooperative effort of Dutch arts therapists, as �??Affect Regulating Arts Therapy�??. Results are positive in ROM Measuring (CBCL). The affect regulating therapy process can be monitored by the IFP test measuring affect interpretation as part of emotion regulation. Arousal regulation, attention regulation and affect regulation are combined with nonverbal coregulation as marked mirroring, matching and dialoguing in art and music improvisation. This gives the child physical and repetitive affective experiences, while training subsequent interactive communication patterns of mutual attention, mutual engagement and reciprocity. In relatively short time the improvement of the child�??s affect regulation creates a fundamental base for mentalizing skills, like awareness of feeling intentions of the self, learning to take other�??s perspective. Transfer to daily life is managed by means of parent participation and by integrating home and school situations in the process.

Biography :

Wijntje van der Ende is registered Art- and Music Therapist in The Netherlands. She integrates the concept of mentalization and affect regulation into art- and music therapy in child psychiatry. She is chairing an international Special Interest Group about Nonverbal Communication at ICAPT, the International Centre for Arts in Psychotherapy, London. Together with other therapists she is Founder of the consensus based model of Affect Regulating Arts Therapy for children with developmental disorders and attachment problems. She advises in Postdoctoral research about Arts Therapy Theory and Practice at Stenden University.

Email: infovaktherapie@gmail.com