アルコール依存症の作業療法—コラージュにおける“間”の意味

Occupational therapy for alcoholics : The meaning of space in collage therapy

要旨：言語表現では防衛的になりやすいアルコール依存症に対し，集団コラージュ療法を行った．その中で，画用紙の中の空間＝間をめぐって代表的な3症例を通して「間」と回復過程について検討した．間をつくれることはアルコール依存症の回復に向かう兆しとして考えられた．コラージュは，経過診断上有効と考えられた．

　The purpose of this study is to show that collage therapy is a highly effective way to treat alcoholics. Clients are required to use a non-verbal technique in group therapy, and by observing how they fill up space on a piece of paper, we may determine how they defend themselves mentally. It is said that alcoholics are apt to become defensive when they have to express themselves. Based on their life histories, it is also said that they have anxiety about their inner world, of which they are usually unconscious. My interpretation in this study is that when clients leave blank spaces on their paper they are made aware of this anxiety. The fact that a client has intentionally left blank space is an important sign of recovery. Collage therapy can thus be considered useful in the treatment of alcoholics.