Problem:
Describe how a social worker could use the Identified Themes list below observed from a child's drawing, along with other materials, as part of an initial assessment.
Explain how you could use information from the child's drawing in future therapy sessions with the child. In your explanation, be sure to include specific details from the drawing and references to this week's Learning Resources. Need Assignment Help?
Identified Themes:
Fear and Anxiety - The child in bed looks scared, covering their mouth with wide eyes. This suggests they are experiencing fear, possibly from a nightmare or imagined threat.
Being Watched / Surveillance - The many eyes floating around the room reinforce the feeling of being observed constantly, which is a common symbol of paranoia, fear, or lack of privacy.
Nighttime / Bedtime Fears - The setting (a child in bed under the covers) suggests this is happening at night, a time when children often feel most vulnerable to nightmares or imagined creatures
Imagination / Fantasy - The floating eyes and the large face peering in from the corner give the drawing a surreal quality, showing a child's imagination or dream world
Loneliness / Vulnerability - The child is alone in bed, confronted with these overwhelming sights, which might reflect feelings of isolation.
Learning Resources
Cohen Konrad, S. (2020). Child and family practice: A relational perspective (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Chapter 4, "Child-Centered Assessment" (pp. 81-114)
Chapter 5, "Therapeutic Conversations with Children" (pp. 115-146)
Clements, P. T., Benasutti, K. M., & Henry, G. C. (2001). Drawing from experience: Using drawings to facilitate communication and understanding with children exposed to sudden traumatic deaths. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 39(12), 12-20.
Stauffer, S. D. (2019). Ethical use of drawings in play therapy: Considerations for assessment, practice, and supervision. International Journal of Play Therapy, 28(4), 183-194.