Facilitating Attachment in Children With Autism Through Art Therapy: A Case Study

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that may be broadly defined as a developmental disorder characterized by impairment in an individual's verbal and nonverbal communication skills. Autism manifests as multiple symptoms, such as inappropriate social interaction, restricted interests, sensory dysfunction, self-regulatory issues, and repetitive behaviors. This paper describes a case study of a 12-year-old boy, Tom (pseudonym), with autism spectrum disorder who received art therapy for severe sensory dysfunction and self-regulatory issues. In this case study, we hypothesize that the presence of chronic sensory withdrawal may have impaired Tom's attachment to his primary caregiver, resulting in insecure attachment and subsequent social engagement difficulties. We propose that an art therapy intervention that lasted over a period of 1 year may have facilitated sensory modulation and self-regulation in Tom, thereby lowering his anxiety levels, aiding attachment to his therapist, and improving his social engagement in general. As such, we suggest that in the context of children struggling with autism, art therapy may be an important intervention worth further exploration and study.