Healing through art: a therapeutic journey for traumatized Syrian children struggling with self-criticism

Abstract

Children in Syria exposed to prolonged war often suffer adverse mental health effects, with elevated self-criticism being a common outcome. Although studies indicate that stress and anxiety in children can be addressed through art therapy, few have examined how expressive art therapy combined with psychological interventions might benefit Syrian children affected by war. This study assesses the impact of expressive art therapy, adapted from the Coping Cat Program for a children with war-related context, on reducing self-criticism in war-affected Syrian children exhibiting symptoms of secondary traumatic stress (STS). Twenty children from war-impacted areas with high STS Scale scores were divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group underwent expressive art therapy, with self-criticism measured using the LOSC Scale at three points: pre-treatment, post-treatment (after eight weeks), and a 3-month follow-up. Results showed reductions in self-criticism in the treatment group compared to controls, with these benefits persisting at the follow-up. These findings highlight the effectiveness of expressive art therapy in reducing self-criticism and enhancing the mental health of Syrian children affected by war, suggesting that such interventions should be integrated into mental health strategies for trauma-affected populations. Future research should investigate the long-term impacts and cultural adaptability of these interventions across varied populations. © 2025 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.