Abstract

This paper seeks to explore the application and integration of trauma-informed and attachment-focused art therapy with adolescents with anorexia nervosa in a partial hospitalization program setting. The primary research question is: How can a trauma-informed art therapy group program be designed to support adolescents with anorexia nervosa within a multidisciplinary partial hospitalization context? This paper will also address the following subsidiary questions: 1) What might a trauma-informed art therapy group in this population and setting look like? and 2) What are the current best practices and barriers to integrating art therapy within multimodal treatment teams for eating disorders in hospital settings? Research questions are explored using a theoretical intervention research methodology to construct problem and program theories that contribute to the development of both a theoretical foundation and a practical understanding of the factors influencing and mediating treatment for this population. Literature from interdisciplinary fields and diverse sources will be examined and analyzed using a narrative synthesis to assess the current needs and inform the development of an 8-week group art therapy intervention employing a trauma-informed and phase-based approach. This exploration sheds light on the intersections of trauma, attachment, anorexia nervosa, and art therapy. Recommendations for further research including future pilot studies to improve findings are highlighted.