Puppetry as an art therapy technique with emotionally disturbed children

Puppetry has long been used as a diagnostic and therapeutic technique with emotionally disturbed children and has been well documented in the literature. Limited research has been done on the creation of puppets in therapy or on the use of puppetry in art therapy. This thesis outlines methods of using puppetry as a group art therapy technique with emotionally disturbed children. The technique includes both diagnostic and therapeutic uses of puppetry. The psycholo-oical rationale of puppetry is reviewed. Two art therapy qroups of emotionally disturbed children were treated for ten weeks using puppetry. The children made various types of puppets and spontaneous puppet play was encouraged. Material from these sessions is examined in terms of psychodynamics in relation to individual case histories. This thesis proposes that puppetry is a valuable art therapy technique with emotionally disturbed children. Recommendations for further research in this area are included.