Outpatient art therapy curriculum for strength-based goal setting

Many practices for working with children and adolescents with autism operate from a deficit-perspective. Mitigating the consequences of this perspective requires exploration of characteristics beyond the autism diagnosis, which encourages identity formation. Individuals with autism need to have treatment models that emphasize autonomy and incorporate their voice into their care, as the current gap inhibits their ability to self-identify and verbalize emotional need. The inability to accurately verbalize emotional need to healthcare providers influences the accuracy of client-centered treatment goals, exploration, and formation of self-concept, and the ability to achieve long-term goals. This research attempts to address these gaps, by proposing a method of strength-based goal identification based on themes of identity development for individuals with autism between the ages of 11-15. The success of the interventions are measured using two assessments developed for working with children and adolescents with autism: the Evaluation of actions of the Art Therapist during treatment of a child diagnosed with ASD (EAT-A) and the Observation in Art Therapy with a child diagnosed with ASD (OAT-A).