The psychopathology of everyday art: a quantitative Study - World ...

ICD-10 DIAGNOSTIC CATEGORIES (1993) N Assigned
to type
Schizophrenia/Psychosis: (1 X F10.73, F16.7, F19.5, F19.7, F20.0, F20.1,
F25.0, F25.2; 2 X F20.5).
10 2
Organic Brain Injury: (1 X F06.3, F06.8, F10.6; 5 X F07.0). 8 3
Substance Abuse: (1 X F10.4, F11.2, F12.2, F18.2, F19.3; 4 X F10.2) 9 4
Moderate Recurrent Depression + Alcohol Dependency: (F33.1 + F10.2). 1 1
Specific Personality Disorder: (F33.1 + F60.8). 2 1
Huntingdons + Dementia: (G10 + F02.2). 2 3
Organic Psycho Syndrome + Epilepsy: (F07.9 + G40). 1 3
Diagnostic types: (1) Affective Disorder, (2) Non-Affective Psychosis, (3) Brain Injury, (4) Drug Abuse
Table 2 shows category definition of case assignment to 4 types; Affective
Disorder (n=9); Non-Affective Psychosis (n=10); Brain Injury (n=11); Drug Abuse
(n=9). This includes six cases with multiple diagnoses whose assigned categories are also
shown. Type assignment was made on the basis of the clinically presenting
psychopathology on admission; e.g. a case presenting drug dependency and psychosis,
not resulting from immediate drug toxicity was categorised as Non-Affective Psychosis.
All the patients available for art in the identified wards were used. This meant that some
patients had secondary diagnoses and may have overlapped groups.
Painting Generation: The paintings were produced in art familiarisation groups, run
as part of the recreational program of the hospital. All painting procedures were
discussed with the region's art therapist to maximise the experiential and reducing
similarity to psychotherapeutic sessions.
The art groups took place at the same place and time each week in daylight hours,
took one hour a week for 5-6 weeks, and contained up to 8 participants who were either
patients or staff from the ward. I knew the patients from the non-patients but was
unaware of diagnosis and therapeutically unacquainted with the group. I ensured that
235