Award Supports Art Therapy Researchers

Alexandria, VA, March 20, 2008 - Barry M. Cohen, founder of the Diagnostic Drawing Series project, announced the deadline for proposals for this year’s research award. Applicants are invited to apply prior to October 15, 2008 by describing their research in a letter to the international clearinghouse for information about the DDS: P.O. Box 9853, Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.A. 22304.

“We have to know how people with different psychiatric diagnoses tend to draw before we can assess the efficacy of art therapy treatment,” said Cohen. “Research like this can help meet the needs of professional art therapists in a variety of settings.” The winning submission will be a well-conceived study that uses the Diagnostic Drawing Series (DDS). Preference is given to studies that are completed. The winner will receive a $300 cash prize.

The Diagnostic Drawing Series is a three drawing art interview devised by art therapists in the early 1980s. Many art therapists contribute to the multicenter project by ongoing donations of drawings or by doing research. The DDS Archive is located in the metropolitan Washington area and is a resource for all art therapists. There are now more than 50 studies that use the DDS. Prior winners of the DDS Award include:

• Kathryn Johnson in 2002 for her study of the art of people diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder, manic phase
• Barbara Sobol and Carol Cox in 1992 for their study comparing the art of abused children who were highly dissociative with those of sexually abused children who were not highly dissociative
• Gail Billingsley in 1997 for her study of the art of substance abuse disordered patients

For further information, contact Barry M. Cohen at (703) 914-1268.