Student Attitudes and Thoughts on Art Therapy

Art terapija je terapija različitim vrstama umjetnosti koja može pomoći učenicima s teškoćama u razvoju te zlostavljanoj i zanemarenoj djeci. Djeca na zabavan i opuštajući način kroz umjetnički izraz mogu izraziti potisnute misli i emocije. Istraživanjem na uzorku od 232 studenta Učiteljskog i Predškolskog studija, došli smo do spoznaja o informiranosti, interesima, znanjima, stavovima i razmišljanjima studenata o art terapiji. Rezultati ukazuju da studenti imaju izražena znanja o art terapiji te njenim mogućnostima primjene u radu s djecom mlađe školske dobi. Također studenti iskazuju visoku razinu interesa prema art terapiji, stjecanju novih znanja o njoj i njenoj upotrebi u obrazovnom kontekstu, te imaju pozitivne stavove o doprinosu i mogućnostima koje art terapija pruža u nastavnom radu. Studentima nedostaje znanja o primjeni art terapije u radu s djecom koja imaju teškoće u razvoju. Rezultati pokazuju da su se studenti viših godina imali prilike upoznati s art terapijom i njenim mogućnostima primjene više od kolega s nižih godina. Studenti Učiteljskog studija navode da nisu imali prilike dovoljno se upoznati s art terapijom u odnosu na studente Predškolskog studija.Art therapy is therapy using different types of art that can help students with developmental disabilities or abused and neglected children. Children can express repressed thoughts and emotions in a fun and relaxing way through artistic expression. By surveying a sample of 232 students from the Teacher and Pre-school Education courses, we gained insight to their interests, knowledge, attitudes and thoughts on art therapy. The results indicate that students have considerable knowledge of art therapy and its possibilities of application in working with younger, school-aged children. Students also show a high level of interest in art therapy, in acquiring new knowledge about art therapy and its use in an educational context, and have positive attitudes about the contribution and opportunities that art therapy provides in teaching. Students lack knowledge about the application of art therapy in working with children who have developmental difficulties. The results show that older students had the opportunity to get acquainted with art therapy and its application possibilities more than their younger colleagues. Teacher Education students stated that they did not have the opportunity to get acquainted with art therapy in comparison with Preschool Education students