Approach Using Photographs as Part of the Therapeutic Process for the Mentally Ill: Case Study on Mental Illness Patients, Malaysia

Abstract

The research explores one approach using photographs as part of a therapeutic process for mental patients in Malaysia. The process described might be utilized in different ways by different actors. In that case, this could be classified as a phototherapy approach. Because the researcher is not a mental health professional and is therefore not qualified to judge the therapeutic value of a particular methodology, this research and its conclusions are confined to this second approach. The approach is as follows: five institutionalized, nonviolent patients were selected under the supervision of a doctor aware of the patients’ mental health history. Patients were picked who often exhibited difficulty socializing or communicating or who had difficulty focusing on a particular subject. The researcher presented each patient with 200 photographs of near-random images, and the patient was asked to pick one. From that image, the patient produced his own artwork using colored pencils. A video recording was made of each patient, including an interview process designed to ascertain the patient’s frame of mind before and after the drawing process. The medical professional responsible for the patient was presented with information the patient expressed in these interviews and was asked if this behavior was typical or atypical for each patient. The majority of patients who went through this process gave qualitative feedback that indicated perceived improvements in their general mental health state. The most significant observations were that patients appeared more sociable, more relaxed, more in control, and better able to reflect on experiences.