Methodological and theoretical foundations of therapy with metaphorical associative cards

Aksyutina Zul'fiya Abdullovna ORCID: 0000-0003-2548-4673 PhD in Pedagogy Associate Professor, Department of Social Pedagogy and Social Work, Omsk State Pedagogical University 644076, Russia, Omskaya oblast', g. Omsk, ul. Tovstukho, 3, of. 85 aksutina_zulfia@mail.ru

Introduction

Metaphorical associative maps (hereinafter referred to as MAC) are rapidly spreading, are actively used in art therapy work with children and adults. There are many offers of different decks of cards, which indicates their high demand. At the same time, the use of certain technologies in art therapy practice requires an understanding of their theoretical and methodological foundations, which allow us to reveal the possibilities and prospects of MAC in solving topical human difficulties, its development.

The subject of the study will be the methodological and theoretical foundations of the use of MAC. The novelty of the research is determined by the accumulated arsenal of MAC application practices, which are most often based on general therapeutic approaches, and their own methodological foundations remain insufficiently highlighted. The given subject and the novelty of the study determined the purpose of the article – to identify methodological and theoretical grounds for the use of MAC.

Methodological foundations of metaphorical associative maps

Searching for the methodological foundations of the IAC, we will proceed from the thesis of N. V. Dmitrieva, Yu. M. Perevozkina, L. V. Levina and N. V. Buravtsova, who consider them "a section of expressive psychotherapy, which is a subclass of creative therapy included in the class of art therapy" ^{[8, p. 262]}.

Let's turn to the art therapy class. As a rule, most often we are talking about the use of art technologies as therapeutic effects. Chronologically, the first mentions of the concept of "art technology" date back to the end of the 30s of the last century. Art therapy is a relatively new direction in psychotherapy. For the first time, the term "art therapy" was used by the English doctor Adrian Hill. In 1938, while being treated for pulmonary tuberculosis, he noticed that creative activities distract him from difficult experiences and help him cope with the disease ^{[20, p. 65]}. Art therapy or art therapy acts as a kind of mediator in the communication between the patient and the therapist at the symbolic level. V. Becker-Glosh and E. Bulov associate art technologies with artistic creativity, which is associated "with the action of three factors: expression, communication and symbolization" ^{[2, p. 43]}. These authors focus only on the artistic aspect of creativity, although at present an increasingly expanding range of types of creativity is used in art technologies.

T. V. Zhukova, justifying the use of art technologies in relation to the professional activity of a psychologist, points out that art technologies should be understood as "a set of forms, methods and means of various types of art aimed at developing the creative potential of the individual" ^{[10, p. 11]}. It can be argued that after a fairly short period of time, the range of art forms used in the development of art technologies increases. In addition, T. V. Zhukova introduced into the understanding of the essence of the concept under consideration a new content, expressed in the focus on the development of the potential of the individual.

I. M. Kungurova reduces the understanding of art technologies to two components: art as such and goal-setting. In her opinion, art technologies are "a set of means of art and methods of artistic and creative activity to achieve the intended pedagogical goal" ^{[14, p. 47]}. This idea points to the "flow" of the use of art technologies from psychological practice to pedagogical.

M. Liibman connects the understanding of art technologies with human psychology. Art technologies are "the use of art tools to convey feelings and other contents of the human psyche in order to change the structure of his worldview" ^{[24, p. 42]}.

Y. E. Proshkina and O.A. Belobrykina believe that fairy tale therapy, game therapy, sand therapy, absurdization and form correction rhythmoplasty belong to art-therapeutic methods ^[17]. It should be noted that we have not found a meaningful complete classification of the types of art related to art therapy.

From a methodological point of view, MAC can be considered as projective techniques and as a kind of art therapy ^[13] and as a mythologized reality ^[12]. According to experts, metaphorical associative maps, by their methodological essence, undoubtedly belong to projective techniques, where work is carried out with fantasies, images that allow you to look into the inner world of a person, to reveal his values and expectations. A subclass of art therapy is creative therapy or creativity therapy. It is believed that the term "creative therapy" was first formulated in 1867 by V. Gaisinger, by which he understood the support, strengthening and clarification of the spiritual individuality of the individual through creative activities. Gradually, with the therapy of patients, this direction began to be applied to healthy people with difficulties in "mental distraction". In the twentieth century, creative therapy becomes a therapy of self-disclosure in creativity. E. M. Burno, who created the method of therapy with creative self–expression in 1989, paid great attention to this direction ^[4].

M. E. Boisterously described an experiment that took place in 1926, under the guidance of Dr. M. Y. Lakhtin, in which patients with neuroses were involved in burning wood, artistic embroidery, modeling, painting on porcelain and wood. M. Y. Lakhtin believed that in the process of doing creative work, a person feels part of the whole, draws strength from creation, his self-disclosure occurs by appealing to feelings.

Creative therapy is based on the psychoanalysis of Z. Freud, psychodrama J. L. Moreno, theory of therapeutic assistance by graphic self-expression M. Naumburg, analytical psychology of K. Jung. It was in 1923 that K. Jung, engaged in introspection for dreams, images, began to sketch what he saw. Based on his own experience, he began to offer patients to make sketches, considering drawing as a means of reflecting the unconscious. Under the influence of the developed ideas of K. Jung, since 1925, specialists have been using visual means in psychotherapy in Europe (E. Speer, N. Frank, D. Heuer, etc.) and the USA (E. Kramer, N. Leviz, M. Naumburg, P. Schilder, M. Stern, etc.). The widespread use of drawing and painting classes for psychotherapy has been actively beginning since the 40s of the XX century, due to the development of M. Naumburg dynamically oriented art therapy.

M. Naumburg believed that dynamically oriented art therapy should be based on the ideas of Z. Freud is about recognizing unconscious deep thoughts and feelings of a person extracted from dreams, conflicts, images, dreams, fears, fantasies. A study by G. Prinzhorn (the 20s of the twentieth century) only confirmed that the creative works of patients reflect their most intense conflicts, so the internal content of conflicts can be visualized in order to further narrate the feelings experienced.

Expressive psychotherapy is a section that includes MAC. V. A. Maltsev drew attention to the connection of creative therapy with existences, highlighting the features of this connection, which consist in the fact that:

1) creativity helps to resolve such realities as isolation and meaninglessness; 2) death actualizes the courage to create; 3) freedom on the one hand affects the development of creativity, but on the other hand, creativity itself helps to acquire freedom for a person ^{[16, p. 110]}. And, as N. Rogers, the developer of expressive psychotherapy, rightly believes, it can be considered as human-centered. This gives the client the integrity of the psychotherapeutic process, through the discovery, awareness, balancing and integration of its opposites around the unifying center – the essence of the client. She believes that, indirectly, in expressive psychotherapy, there is an improvement of the personality, stimulated to creativity through transformative self-expression, in order to achieve mental health ^[18].

It should be noted that expressive psychotherapy is characterized by the inclusion of common methods: "art therapy, music therapy, dance therapy and drama therapy. The effectiveness of which has been shown in a number of randomized studies, which is the evidence base for their use in practice" ^{[19, p. 103]}. And, as R. Y. Emelyanova aptly notes: "All art-therapeutic methods are based on the statement that whenever a person, without thinking about the artistic value of his works, draws, sculpts, composes a fairy tale, dances, makes a doll, his inner world is reflected in the created images" ^{[9, pp. 59-60]}.

N. V. Dmitrieva, N. V. Buravtsova, L. V. Levina and Yu.M. Perevozkina developed and described the principles of using associative maps, which included: metaphoricity and imaginativeness, symbolism, universality, unambiguity and accuracy, accessibility to the client, algorithmization, verifiability and adequacy, impartiality, associativity, complexity of impact, safety, environmental friendliness, mediativeness, expressiveness, informativeness, creativity, nativity, energy, projectivity, efficiency ^[5].

Theoretical justification of MAC therapy

Exploring MAC therapy, we will justify the main theoretical concepts important for its full understanding on a scientific basis. The need to develop the theoretical foundations of MAC therapy remains an urgent problem. This is reflected in the disparity of publications, most of which are devoted to the practice of their application and the presence of only a small number of publications aimed at the fundamental justification of MAC therapy.

The main categories of MAC therapy are "object", "subject" and "goal". Let's turn to the definition of the object and subject of MAC therapy. There are two areas of application of the MAC – theoretical and practical. In the theoretical field, a direction is developing related to the formation of a new trend of art-therapeutic knowledge – MAC therapy, and in practice a new tool has been formed, all the possibilities of which remain unexplored. This is confirmed by the words of S. S. Fedosina: "Depending on the professional position of the psychologist, the MAC is perceived both as a psychodiagnostic tool, and as an instrument of influence on the client, and as a way of interaction of the psychologist with the client" ^{[21, pp. 48-54]}. As a result, different scientific approaches to the use of MAC therapy are formed, which also define differences in the object-subject area. Let's describe the main options for MAC therapy or its qualitative conditions (Table 1).

Table 1

Variants of qualitative conditions of using MAC therapy

Qualitative states of MAC therapy (system, process, activity) have individually determined forms of manifestation and unified mechanisms of implementation. The analysis of qualitative states makes it possible to identify methodological components of qualitative states of MACRO-therapy, such as object, object and goal (Table 2).

Table 2

Methodological components of qualitative states of MAC therapy

Let's analyze the data reflected in Table 2. In the situation of studying MAC therapy as a system, it is necessary to study its components, because stable functioning of all its components is important for the unfolding of the system. Currently available publications on various practices focus on such software components as techniques, scenarios, techniques and exercises. Obviously, on the one hand, the procedural side is the most in demand, and on the other hand, it is easier to describe experience than theory. The goal of MAC therapy in procedural research is to achieve the results specified in the program.

Reliance on a systematic approach in the research of MAC therapy directs to the study of its component-element composition, and the activity approach focuses on identifying its structure in the provision of psychotherapeutic assistance. The analysis carried out and the results obtained made it possible to construct a universal scheme of interaction of the elements of goal-setting of MAC therapy (Fig. 1).

Symbols: VIC – internal intense conflicts; MAC –metaphorical associative cards; CI – decks with images; CS – decks with words; SC – mixed and other decks; TC – therapeutic contact; TP – creative potential of the individual; RC – conflict resolution.

Fig. 1. Universal scheme of interaction of elements of goal-setting of MAC therapy

Let's make explanations to Figure 1. Internal intense conflicts that clients have are the source of the deployment of the MAC therapy system. Various types of MACS (decks with images; decks with words and mixed decks) are interacting elements of the system. Interaction occurs during therapeutic contact. The result of the interaction depends on the creative potential of the client, and the achieved effect is to resolve the conflict.

Based on the theoretical results described, we will present a systemic model of MAC therapy in the form of a pendulum reflecting the interrelation of components. The pendulum reflecting MAC therapy as a dynamic system is in continuous motion. The trigger for the use of MAC therapy is the client's request related to his need for psychological assistance to resolve internal conflicts. The therapy itself can be carried out both through individual and group work. The procedural component of the implementation of MAC therapy occurs through three important components: safety, reflection, personal meaning.

The first component involves the formation of a sense of security during a therapeutic session. MACS are associated with the game, which in itself contributes to the client's sense of security. In MAC therapy, the second component is the reflection of the client's own emotions, feelings, and experiences. To achieve reflection, the psychologist asks questions, thereby stimulating the client to self-disclosure. Some of the questions are developed in advance for a specific technology or deck of cards, and the other arises during the study of a particular card (situations, stories, etc.). As a result, the client's passage through all stages of MAC therapy should be completed by finding personal meanings (the third component). The ideal model assumes a complete resolution of the internal conflict. Working with MAC contributes to the unfolding of self-development and self-knowledge as components in awareness, understanding of oneself and achieving self-satisfaction with life. M. Ingerleib drew attention to this, writing: "Metaphorical associative maps are a reliable assistant for every specialist who works with people, as they allow to establish communication, create an atmosphere of trust, interest in self–knowledge and self-development, and also lay the "outline" of the desired context of communication with a client or group" ^{[11, p. 11]}.

The model shows that therapeutic contact is included in psychological support and psychological support. All of them in the aggregate are components in the provision of psychological assistance. The main methods of therapeutic contact are metaphor and association.

Association is a spontaneous connection that occurs between two or more mental formations (sensations, motor acts, perceptions, ideas, memories, etc.) in the process of an individual's mental activity ^{[11, p. 21]}.

Metaphor is any language expression with a figurative meaning that allows you to transfer the reality of one concept to another, more vivid ^[15].

L. V. Shumilova writes that "metaphor:

– it is used as an explanatory tool, speeding up the process of perception and understanding of the unknown and obscure due to its imagery;

– optimizes the memorization process by creating stable associative links;

– stimulates the imagination and the desire for cognitive activity;

– activates intuition and language sense;

– develops creativity, since it is addressed to the subconscious and triggers the inner, creative potential of the individual" ^{[23, p. 161]}.

L. I. Bogdanova, describing the process of applying metaphor, notes: "Metaphorization is one of the meaning–forming mechanisms in the generation of texts, which is directly related to the ability of a metaphor to designate an object or phenomenon, to see it from a different angle, to evaluate it, expressing their attitude to it" ^{[3, p. 143]}.

Based on the presented model of the pendulum reflecting the system of MAC therapy, it is possible to build a conceptual apparatus of MAC therapy, which includes the following categories: MAC, MAC therapy, group work, individual work, request, client, psychological help, self-knowledge, self-development, psychological support, psychological support, therapeutic contact, safety, reflection, personal meaning, metaphor, association. In addition to the categories we have listed, other categories are actively used in MAC therapy: perception, projection, meaning, narrative, personal meaning, insight, figure and background.

Let's pay attention to the functions implemented during MAC therapy.

In the study of Z. A. Aksyutina and S. A. Mavrin, it is noted that art performs different functions: aesthetic, hedonistic, spiritual communication, cognitive, anticipation, educational, antarctic, "the function of refusal", freedom ^{[1, pp. 172-173]}. We believe that the POPPY can be considered as an object of art, and then, obviously, they perform similar functions. This idea is consonant with the research of V. I. Shebanova. She has tested a fairly large number of sets of macs. In the course of practical activity, the author identified a number of functions related to their use. We will only list them: communicative, stimulating, organizing (integrating), focusing or actualizing, focusing attention, objectifying, meaning-forming, deconstructing, reframing, expressive and cathartic, protective, resource ^[22]. These functions significantly complement and expand the theory of understanding MAC technology. The description of the functions can be found in the works of these authors.

Novosibirsk researchers pay a lot of attention to the stages of working with MAC. Thus, N. V. Dmitrieva and co-authors identified the main stages of working with associative maps. They include: diagnosis of the current condition, diagnosis of the desired condition, choice of therapeutic approach, choice of level, search for alternatives, completion of work ^{[7, p. 261]}. In the study of MAC therapy when working with trauma, N.V. Dmitrieva and E. A. Minokhodova point to other stages: the formation of a sense of security; the reaction of experiences; the restoration of the integrity of personal history, that is, the recognition of the fact of trauma and the fact that you were a victim of the situation; the integration of personality, the restoration of personal integrity ^[6].

There may be an illusion that all MAC therapy practices have their own stages. We believe that this is not the case. In these examples, the differences are that in the first case, all the stages of MAC therapy are given, and in the second, the stage of searching for alternatives is revealed.

A special need for practitioners is related to the classification of MAC decks. The analysis of various MAC decks suggests that they can be classified according to three criteria.

The first criterion is age. According to this criterion, decks of cards designed for children, teenagers and adults are found.

The second criterion is composition. One-piece decks have cards with images in their content. Two-part (or mixed) decks can contain two decks. For example, images and words (phrases), images of basic maps and images of resources, images and stencils.

The third criterion is the number of cards. Small decks of cards contain up to 30 cards, medium ones up to 100 and large ones over 100 cards.

It should be noted that the classification according to the scope of application (e.g., coaching, finance, etc.) is considered inappropriate due to the universality of MAC as a means used in art therapy.

Conclusion

Metaphorical associative maps on methodological grounds are an instrumental part or one of the sections of expressive psychotherapy, belong to the subclass of creative therapy contained in the art therapy class.

In the course of the theoretical substantiation of MAC therapy, the methodological components of the qualitative states of MAC therapy (object, object and goal) in systemic, process and activity variations were identified. The study of MAC therapy as a dynamic system made it possible to clearly identify the dependence of the result of interaction on the creative potential of the client. This indicates possible limitations in the use of MAC. The construction of a system model of MAC therapy allowed us to identify the basic conceptual apparatus of this field of psychotherapy.

The obtained results of the theoretical study will be useful in the practice of providing assistance during psychotherapeutic procedures using metaphorical associative maps.