Abstract

Chronic renal failure is a pervasive illness that drastically affects the lives of adolescent patients. The complexities of how living with chronic renal failure affects the psychosocial adjustment for patients during adolescence can be better understood by taking into account the developmental tasks that face this age group. This research presents a qualitative case study that investigates how art therapy can be used to explore the psychosocial issues experienced by a 15-year-old female diagnosed with chronic renal failure. Over a seven-month period, data was gathered during art therapy sessions conducted while the participant was receiving hemodialysis treatments at a pediatric hospital. Prevalent issues that emerged from the data were the participant's perceived lack of control, difficulty integrating her illness into her self-concept, and challenges in adhering to treatment. Violet was able to express, acknowledge and work through these issues through art therapy. The findings suggest that art therapy is an appropriate intervention while working with this population. Further study is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of art therapy in addressing specific issues, such as treatment adherence.