Measuring the contribution of art therapy in multidisciplinary treatment of personality disorders: The construction of the Self-expression and Emotion Regulation in Art Therapy Scale (SERATS)

Despite the use of art therapy in clinical practice, its appreciation and reported beneficial results, no instruments are available to measure specific effects of art therapy among patients with personality disorders cluster B/C in multidisciplinary treatment. In the present study, we described the development and psychometric evaluation of the Self-expression and Emotion Regulation in Art Therapy Scale (SERATS). Structural validity (exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis), reliability, construct validity and sensitivity to change were examined using two independent databases (n = 335; n = 34) of patients diagnosed with personality disorders cluster B/C. This resulted in a nine-item effect scale with a single factor with a high internal reliability and high test-retest reliability; it demonstrated discriminant validity and sensitivity to change. In conclusion, the SERATS is brief and content-valid and offers objective and reliable information on self-expression and emotion regulation in art therapy among patients with personality disorders cluster B/C. Although more research on construct validity is needed, the SERATS is a promising tool to be applied as an effect scale and as a monitoring tool during art therapy treatment. © 2017 The Authors Personality and Mental Health Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.