title: Viewing and engaging in an art therapy exhibit by people living with mental illness: implications for empathy and social change.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine how healthcare professionals, family members and community members responded to an art exhibit created by people living with mental illness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Phenomenological study with qualitative analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-six participants with various relationships with people living with mental illness attended an art therapy exhibit and art making workshop. Surveys, response art, reflective writing and discussion groups were used in this qualitative research study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Responses were categorized into four cluster themes: empathic, self-oriented, other-oriented and world-oriented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Each response category has strengths and weaknesses, indicating implications for increasing awareness and understanding of the artists and mental illness. They also inform educational interventions that can be utilized when using art exhibits for the purpose of confronting bias and stigma towards people living with mental illness.
authors.affiliation: Centre on Behavioural Health, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. jspotash@hku.hk
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Potash
authors.forename: R T H
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: J K Y
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Chick
authors.forename: F S W
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Au Yeung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001155:Art Therapy; D004645:Empathy; D005085:Exhibitions as Topic; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011639:Public Opinion; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012922:Social Change; D057545:Social Stigma; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Art exhibits; Art therapy; Community education; Empathy; Social change