The study motivation was initiated from the researcher who has both bereaved experience and expressive arts therapy learning experience. The first research aim is to develop an art group therapy program for bereaved college students that is based on Neimeyer’s meaning reconstruction model. The secondary aim is to explore how expressive arts therapy could be applied to bereaved college students in a group setting.
The action research method was applied in this study conducted in the structure of group counseling. There were five members in the research group. Video and audio recorded all group process as well as interviews with participants for data transcription and analysis.
There are three main findings:
1. After the group counseling, 13 meanings were discovered and developed from members’ experience.
2. Art therapy helps the process of meaning reconstruction.
3. The process of grief is non-linear.
Finally, the study concluded that art therapy could be effective in helping bereaved college students and demonstrated a modification process of a grief art therapy program. The study also constructed a specific recommendation for designing Grief Art Therapy Group.
