CLOSED - Expressive Arts Therapy Research Study Recruitment

[Kizzie]

Hi Everyone:

Professor Colette Smart from the University of Victoria, Department of Psychology is conducting a study about the therapeutic value of expressive arts (movement, art & writing) on healing from CPTSD and is looking for participants. I went through a trial session and found it to be pleasant way of connecting with positive emotions, something we don't often do in talk or other kinds of therapy.

A Word About Eligibility Criteria

Given this is a first-time study of a therapeutic approach to CPTSD, Dr. Smart must look out for the safety of participants first and foremost.  Thus, the eligibility criteria may seem somewhat restrictive, but it is to ensure those participating are feeling fairly stable currently and will likely not need any intervention because of the sessions.  In her words:

In our eligibility requirements, we are looking for people who, while suffering with CPTSD, are fairly stable in their current situation. This is because we are prioritizing safety as the number one thing. This is a new intervention, and we are running a pilot study. Also, we are doing it virtually with people who are not physically in the same place or coming to an office to meet with us. If someone was struggling with stability or in crisis, it would be really hard to help them if they were at a physical distance from the research team.

Because of this, we want to test out the intervention first in a group of people who are most stable in their current situation. Then, based on that feedback, we can decide how to broaden to a more inclusive group of CPTSD survivors. This is fairly common and standard when testing out any new kind of intervention. There is no judgment about your current level of stability and we know everyone is doing their best. But the main priority is so that people will be safe the first time we do this study, particularly because this is a virtual study.

Timeline

The flyer for the study is attached. They are looking to recruit fairly quickly as the group will start Tuesday Oct. 15th and run for 6 weeks from 10am-12:30pm PST. The deadline to apply is Wed., Oct 9th.

Applying

Click on this link and it will take you to the study home page where you will find the eligibility quiz at the top of the page - https://linktr.ee/rhythmsofresilience . There are also some videos which give more information and an opportunity to meet Dr. Smart.

Questions

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Smart or her student Nikoo Amini at smartlab@uvic.ca.

[Blueberry]

I tried to join, but don't meet criteria.
Maybe that's just as well for the study, because I'm not new to Expressive Arts Therapy.

I really encourage anybody and everybody to try for a spot. Expressive Arts Therapy helps - helps us to access joy and fun and so on which are incredibly important to healing. Dr. Collette Smart explains it all, including the scientific basis.

[Bach]

I also tried to join and didn't meet the criteria.  Disappointing.  I've long wanted to try some kind of arts therapy.  What, am I too crazy for them or something? 

[Armee]

I looked at the eligibility questions too...Bach and Blueberry did you actually answer and submit your answers and then were told you were ineligible? The list of questions in the eligibility screen would be impossible for anyone with complex trauma to pass so I was hoping some of those were screening people IN as eligible. Cause if those were all disqualifiers it would not at all capture anyone with active cptsd.

I'm not eligible simply because I can't do that time and technically am in expressive arts therapy even though I'm not doing the expressive arts part of it. So I didn't bother answering the screening questions to see what would happen.

[Kizzie]

I have told the researchers few if any of us with CPTSD would meet the criteria so we'll see what they come back with. My apologies as I had not seen the actual criteria.

Kizzie

[Armee]

I have told the researchers few if any of us with CPTSD would meet the criteria so we'll see what they come back with. My apologies as I had not seen the actual criteria.

Kizzie

 

They knew and still included that??


Wow. Actually I think I will fill it out then just so they can see.

[Armee]

Thanks Kizzie for putting recruitment thru OOTS on hold.

I filled it out for kicks. I avoided the things that would make them think I was actively suicidal (because I am not, though I have intrusive thoughts that I deserve to die or need to die, these are not suicidal thoughts) or that I had uncontrolled impulses or anger problems though I did mark off history of self harm. So basically I made it appear as though I am safe to participate but yes have many symptoms of CPTSD... feeling unreal, yes, mood swings yes, a problematic close relationship at any point in the past.. well yes...we were raised or "loved" by abusers. That's cptsd.

Then the kicker was you get to the end and they say give us your email address so a member of the research team can contact you. So I do thinking wow maybe I made it past the screen. And then the very next automated screen is saying I'm ineligible. Pardon my French but $%#! don't ask for my email if I've been screened out. That's rude.

[Kizzie]

I just emailed them this morning when I realized what the criteria are because of Bach and BB's comments. I had not seen the criteria nor was I a part of constructing them. Hopefully I will hear back from them soon.

  

[Kizzie]

OK, all sorted hopefully. If you check the initial post in this thread you will see I have added Dr. Smart's comments on why the criteria is somewhat restrictive.  It is the first study of this type of approach and safety of participants is suppermost in her mind which in this case equates to participants being in a fairly good place currently. I understand why the criteria are set as they are now and agree with their approach. 

I will be participating from the sidelines during the sessions to provide peer support to anyone who is a bit nervous. 

[Blueberry]

OK, all sorted hopefully. If you check the initial post in this thread you will see I have added Dr. Smart's comments on why the criteria is somewhat restrictive.  It is the first study of this type of approach and safety of participants is suppermost in her mind which in this case equates to participants being in a fairly good place currently. I understand why the criteria are set as they are now and agree with their approach. 

Thanks for checking, Kizzie. It makes sense now.

I looked at the eligibility questions too...Bach and Blueberry did you actually answer and submit your answers and then were told you were ineligible? The list of questions in the eligibility screen would be impossible for anyone with complex trauma to pass so I was hoping some of those were screening people IN as eligible. Cause if those were all disqualifiers it would not at all capture anyone with active cptsd.

Just to answer your question, yes I did actually answer all. I wasn't always sure, like on the impulses one whether they meant 2 different types of impulsive behaviour or impulsive behaviour on 2 occasions. For me, eating is often kind of impulsive, so I put YES there.

I did start to wonder if all those questions were to screen me OUT or IN or whether they were mixed, some deemed 'not risky enough, but obviously has cptsd'. But Kizzie has now clarified and explained.

[Bach]

I was thinking about doing the survey again but I guess that would be cheating.

[Blueberry]

I was thinking about doing the survey again but I guess that would be cheating.

Having read Kizzie's additional information, I think it's good the researchers are being careful, for them and their study and for us. I have had body memories come up when doing art on my own and boomerang EFs when with an art therapist who wasn't trauma-informed. But her not being trauma-informed (12-15 years ago) wasn't the main issue, it was more I didn't know what to do with the boomerang effect and didn't understand it then either. Plus, in the following days two additional Inner Teens turned up and scared me and the Inner Children. I also do know that quite a lot can come up in various forms of movement, not just for me. I've seen that happen in inpatient therapy in trauma groups with proper trauma therapists, including patients getting temporary paralysis or myself landing in a small Inner Child and getting totally disoriented and having to be rescued (led away) by a therapist.

Even if some of us on the forum know for themselves they're still fairly stable despite 'out' criteria and 'we got this' or if we don't our fellow forum mbrs have 'got us', that's not something the researchers can know or rely on.

But otoh I would be interested to know if the researchers find enough study participants with cptsd who are eligible! Maybe trauma therapists who've got their cptsd pretty much healed and under control

Bach, from Kizzie's amended description there is this

...we want to test out the intervention first in a group of people who are most stable in their current situation. Then, based on that feedback, we can decide how to broaden to a more inclusive group of CPTSD survivors.
from A Word About Eligibility Criteria

so I suppose there's hope for a spot of art therapy sometime, maybe. In my country, occupational therapy can include expressive arts like painting, pottery, handicrafts (tho not dancing or movement afaik) and most of it is covered by health insurance. I have to pay about 15%. Idk whether occupational therapy covers such a broad spectrum in other countries tho. And here it does depend on the individual OT, whether they manage expressive arts in a helpful way. I have been lucky in finding ones on and off over the years, tho I have had to look and ask specifically.

Very occasionally I've seen a little bit about some form of expressive arts on those freebie Conferences, once even encouraging viewers to join in and experience.

Sorry if I sound preachy or goody-goody two shoes.

[Kizzie]

Tks for your understanding BB and plse know everyone that the two researchers involved felt badly they did not explain why the criteria are what they are for this first study. Add me to that as I had not seen them and hadn't realized there was a bit of a problem until you and Bach pointed them out.    and   

[Armee]

I get that too, as a former human subjects researcher.  At the same time, I suspect the criteria netted people who experienced complex trauma but probably did not actually develop complex ptsd from it.

Another approach for next arm of the study could be a note from the participants mental health provider that they are able to manage and get support.

[Chart]

Wow... for once I'm glad I just stayed in bed...