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8th Annual Conference of the German Scientific Association for Arts Therapies

Wissenschaftliche Fachgesellschaft für Künstlerische Therapien
13.-14.11.2025
Berlin


Meeting Abstract

Pulling all the strings – art therapy for alcohol dependence. An exploratory study

Kristina Regeniter 1
1Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences, Department of Art Therapy and Therapy Sciences, Alfter, Germany

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Alcohol consumption is deeply rooted in society and has far-reaching health, social and psychological consequences that affect not only the consumers themselves, but also their immediate environment. Children of alcoholic parents are particularly at risk of developing an addiction. This exploratory study, entitled “Pulling all the strings”, examines the extent to which an art therapy intervention concept can increase the well-being of people with alcohol addiction and reduce their subjective perception of stress. The title “Pulling all the strings” serves as a metaphor for regaining control over one's own life, which is often lost in the context of an addiction. The study was conducted with five participants over five consecutive sessions. The art therapy concept was designed as a stabilizing and resource-strengthening intervention. Data was collected using a mixed-methods design: quantitatively, changes in well-being were recorded using the Heidelberg State Inventory (HSI-24) and stress levels were recorded using a stress scale, both pre- and post-intervention. In addition, qualitative data was collected via open-ended additional questions and process-accompanying observations and integrated into the evaluation in a context-related manner. The results show a consistent increase in well-being and a significant reduction in subjective stress levels over the intervention period. Qualitative analyses indicate that art therapy measures strengthened participants' perception of their own resources, promoted experiences of self-efficacy, and supported adaptive coping strategies for dealing with stressful emotions. Despite the limited sample size (n = 5), the short duration of the intervention (t = 5) and the varying intensity of participation (t1 = 5; t2 = 4; t3 = 4; t4 = 2; t5 = 3), the findings provide initial indications of the potential relevance of art therapy interventions as a complementary component in the treatment of alcohol dependence disorders and underline their importance for future, in-depth research approaches.