Penerapan Art Theraphy Menggambar Terhadap Perubahan Mental Emosional Pada Anak Usia Prasekolah : Case Report

Niswa Huril Aini; Muhammad  Arifianto

doi:10.30651/jkm.v11i3.31384

Authors

Niswa Huril Aini Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang
Muhammad Arifianto indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30651/jkm.v11i3.31384

Keywords:

Drawing Art Therapy, Mental and Emotional Changes, Preschool Children

Abstract

During the preschool years, children are naturally filled with joy and exuberance; however, rapid technological advancement has contributed to shifts in children's behavior, leading to increased aggression and emotional dysregulation. Behavioral and mental-emotional problems commonly emerging at this stage can be harmful to the child and those around them. Preschool-aged children frequently struggle with social-emotional skills, which in turn affects their school readiness. Drawing therapy (art therapy) has been proposed as an enjoyable, non-verbal intervention that helps children express thoughts and feelings while relieving emotional tension. Objective: This study aimed to identify changes in children's mental-emotional status following the administration of drawing-based art therapy. Methods: This study employed a case report design with a pretest-posttest approach. The population consisted of 32 students (15 from TK A and 17 from TK B), with 2 students selected as samples through purposive sampling — one from each class. Assessment instruments included a standardized art therapy SOP, the Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC-17), and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Results: Overall findings indicated that drawing therapy had a positive impact on reducing mental-emotional symptoms in children. The intervention helped children express emotions, alleviate tension, and improve self-regulation capacity. Although not all domains showed statistically significant reductions, observable improvements in adaptive behavior and emotional responses were noted following the intervention. Conclusion: Drawing-based art therapy demonstrates potential as an effective non-pharmacological intervention for improving mental-emotional well-being in preschool-aged children, supporting more adaptive behavioral and emotional outcomes.

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