Art therapy applied to an adolescent with Asperger's syndrome

Asperger's syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social interaction, restricted, repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. Adolescents with Asperger's syndrome have developed a compromised self-regulatory system, which leads to difficulty in many areas of functioning. Some of these areas include social, behavioral, emotional, and an increase in anxiety. Art therapy is an important activity based intervention that allows those with Asperger's syndrome to receive and learn information in a non-conventional, nonverbal, comprehensive. and expressive language. Over a 7-month period of creating art, Emma became increasingly more communicative and comfortable in areas of functioning, especially social interactions. The incorporation of visual creativity allowed her to express herself and be heard on a new level of communication. Through her artwork she was able to move from having difficulty in functioning to learning, growing, challenging herself, and making post-secondary education plans. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.