New Ideas Concerning Arts and Social Studies Vol. 9

Aims: This chapter examines Narrative Drawing Intervention (NDI) as a school-based expressive psychosocial support model for earthquake-affected adolescents in rural western China, with attention to trauma-informed education, narrative meaning-making and culturally responsive implementation.

Study Design: A quasi-experimental field study with a non-equivalent comparison group was used.

Place and Duration of Study: The intervention was conducted in a rural school in western China following earthquake exposure.

Methodology: The eight-session NDI programme combined structured drawing, guided narrative reflection, group sharing, strengths-oriented dialogue and future-focused meaning-making. Although 150 students participated and 120 completed the programme, the quantitative analysis included 64 adolescents with complete matched pre- and post-test data: 44 in the intervention group and 20 in the comparison group. Outcomes were assessed using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 and PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, with exploratory pre- and post-intervention self-portrait drawings.

Results: The intervention group showed significant reductions in anxiety and PTSD symptoms, whereas the comparison group showed significant increases in anxiety, stress and PTSD symptoms. Depression did not change significantly in either group. Exploratory gender analyses indicated reduced anxiety among female participants and reduced stress and PTSD symptoms among male participants. Drawing-based observations suggested possible improvements in self-representation and emotional expression, but were not diagnostically coded.

Conclusion: NDI appears feasible and potentially beneficial as a school-based psychosocial approach; however, larger randomised, longitudinal and independently replicated studies are required.