Abstract:
This research explored how creative art therapy could be used as an effective
stress management technique. To help attain utmost results from the study, the
researcher employed the quasi experimental design of investigation to aid in
implementing the treatment – creative art therapy. The study comprised both
control and experimental participants. The research participants consisted of 20
senior staff in the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Ghana who were selected
through a multistage sampling procedure. The respondents’ levels of stress were
obtained with the aid of a Perceived Stress Scale. The experimental group was
taken through a creative art therapy treatment while the control group received
no treatment. The study identified that the overall stress level of the senior staff
of UCC operate at a high level of stress. Stress of senior staff was generally as
a result of constellation of factors related to their finances, family and their
personal lives. The application of creative art over eight sessions on the
experimental group provided participants with some amount of stress relief as
they engaged in the creation of different craft works. It is worth noting that with
much motivation and freedom of expression, the experimental participants were
able to explore the creativity within them which facilitated their
accomplishments of tasks and relieved them from stress. It is recommended that
counsellors should organise programmes aimed at creating awareness of stress
and strategies by which staff can cope with stress. Counsellors are also urged to
use creative art therapy for stress reduction among clients. Management of
universities should collaborate with counselling units to establish therapeutic
sections within the institution which would offer art therapy settings for stress
relief services to workers at their own convenience.
