Publication

Increased Functional Connectivity in Military Service Members

Abstract
Military service members (SMs) have an increased risk of developing posttraumatic stress symptoms. Art therapy is a promising intervention that allows SMs with posttraumatic stress to explore their trauma through art-making and reflection in a psychotherapeutic relationship. Thematic analysis of art products may lend itself as a description of visual indicators of an internal state of the brain. We hypothesized that specific neurobiological markers are associated with the theme of psychological closure and/or healing of traumatic memories as represented in the masks created during art therapy. Resting state fMRIs of a convenience sample of 104 SMs who received art therapy as part of the interdisciplinary Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence were examined. SMs depicting psychological closure and/or healing within their art therapy masks demonstrated greater resting state functional connectivity between regions associated with attention, memory, language, and pain processing. These findings are preliminary in nature therefore causal relationships cannot be assumed between art therapy and neuroimaging metrics, as both art therapy and neuroimaging measures were collected as part of a larger integrative IOP. Future work collecting neuroimaging metrics pre and post an art therapy intervention is warranted to further evaluate these associations.
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Authors:
Payano Sosa, J., Srikanchana, R., Walker, M., Stamper, A., King, J., Olinger, J., Bonavia, G., Workman, C., Darda, K., Chatterjee, A. & Sours Rhodes, C.
Publication Date:
2023
Publisher:
The Arts in Psychotherapy; (Impact Factor 1.847)
Volume/Issue/Pages:
85(3), 102050
Population Studied:
Military service members; N=104
Treatment:
Masks created during art therapy
Study Design:
Retrospective data analysis
Measures:
Self-report assessments for traumatic brain injury (TBI) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), thematic analysis of art products and neuroimaging metrics -resting state fMRI