ART THERAPY AS A METHOD OF SOCIAL AND PEDAGOGICAL REHABILITATION

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the potential of art therapy as an effective tool for the social and educational rehabilitation of children who find themselves in difficult life circumstances. Given the growing number of children who have experienced traumatic events, violence, social rejection, loss of significant adults, or have been forcibly displaced due to war or other catastrophic events, there is an urgent need to find new forms of humanistic- oriented assistance that go beyond traditional pedagogical or psychological support. In this context, art therapy emerges as a means that combines elements of creativity, psycho-emotional relief, self-knowledge, and restoration of the child’s internal resources. The purpose of the article is to provide a scientific justification for art therapy as a universal and flexible method of social and pedagogical rehabilitation, capable of ensuring not only the emotional recovery of the child, but also promoting their socialization, the development of adaptive skills, the formation of a stable positive self-image, and an improvement in quality of life in crisis conditions. The article systematizes key approaches to the interpretation of the concept of «social and pedagogical rehabilitation», reviews scientific publications by domestic and foreign authors, and characterizes current trends in the implementation of art therapy in educational and social practice. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of such possibilities of art therapy as: creating a safe space for emotional self-expression; correcting behavioral and communication difficulties; developing creative potential; forming adaptive strategies in stressful situations; reducing anxiety and aggression; improving sensorimotor coordination; and general stabilization of the psychophysiological state. It has been demonstrated that art therapy techniques can be effectively adapted to the age, cognitive, psycho-emotional, and cultural characteristics of the child, allowing them to be used in a wide variety of rehabilitation contexts – from school environments to social support centers. The study raises the issue of insufficient systematization of art therapy experience in Ukraine, as well as the lack of unified programs focused on children in difficult life circumstances. The conclusions justify the need for further scientific research aimed at developing structured models of social and pedagogical rehabilitation using art therapy, creating multidisciplinary teams of specialists, and improving the qualifications of teachers and social workers in the field of art therapy practice.