Art, Science and Art Therapy

In this text, Frances Kaplan urges art therapists to be more scientifically-minded in their research and practice. Proposing that study of the findings of other disciplines is crucial to the development and reinforcement of the field of art therapy, she investigates research from art history, anthropology, evolutionary biology, medicine, neuroscience and psychology, and feeds it into our current understanding of art therapy. Kaplan also examines the scientific evidence supporting the benefits of artistic expression to emphasise the importance of an art-based therapy.