Cited by 94Art Therapy and Mental HealthInnovative Human-Technology InteractionDesign Education and Practice

Making as Expression: Informing Design with People with Complex Communication Needs through Art Therapy

Lazar, Amanda, Feuston, Jessica L., Edasis, Caroline, Piper, Anne Marie·2018·Proceedings of the 2018 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

Abstract

There is a growing emphasis on designing with people with diverse health experiences rather than designing for them. Yet, collaborative design becomes difficult when working with individuals with health conditions (e.g., stroke, cancer, abuse, depression) that affect their ability or willingness to engage alongside researchers and verbally express themselves. The present paper analyzes how the clinical practice of art therapy engages these individuals in co-creative, visual expression of ideas, thoughts, and experiences. Drawing on interviews with 22 art therapists and over two years of field work in a clinical setting, we detail how art therapists view making as expression for people with complex communication needs. Under this view, we argue that art therapy practice can inspire collaborative design engagements by understanding materials as language, creating space for expression, and sustaining expressions in a broader context. We discuss practical and ethical implications for design work involving individuals with complex communication needs.

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Crossref · 10.1145/3173574.3173925

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115 of 115 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Authors
Lazar, A., Feuston, J. L., Edasis, C., & Piper, A. M.
Affiliations
  • University of Maryland, College Park (US)
  • Northwestern University (US)
  • Mather LifeWays (US)
Venue
Proceedings of the 2018 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Publisher
ACM
Published
2018-04-21
Pages
1-16
OpenAlex
W2795429875
Cited by
94
References
115
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 3
FWCI
99.23
Type
conference paper
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation (IIS-1551574)
  • Delaney Foundation
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Conservation › Art Therapy and Mental Health
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Innovative Human-Technology Interaction
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanical Engineering › Design Education and Practice
Keywords
art therapy, co-design, complex communication needs, visual expression, co-creative design, design ethics, stroke, cancer, depression

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