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Arts & Communication Art images and trauma in femicide orphans

promotes heightened self-acceptance and acceptance of image categories in producing the hypothesized results.
one’s experience of suffering in individuals such as orphans Furthermore, further research could consider, in addition
of femicide. In addition, it promotes a perception of to the categories investigated in this study, additional
proactive engagement with the environment and endowed categories of images (e.g., father, mother, family).
with agency and the representation of one’s relationships Another limitation pertains to the lack of consideration
as positive and meaningful. The images appear to function for participant gender differences. This is due to the
as an emotional catharsis that promotes a focus on oneself combined consideration of men and women, both in terms
in more positive terms, fostering the perception of having of sample size limitations and the challenge of forming
purposes in life and being autonomous.
two gender-homogeneous groups. Future studies could,
The present study also demonstrated temporal stability therefore, test for any differences related to the sex of the
in the obtained results. Specifically, the use of art images participants.
exhibited sustained effectiveness in reducing the impact Moreover, the administration of the images lasted
of traumatic events, mitigating the severity of traumatic 1 min and was carried out in a virtual context (specifically,
symptoms, and increasing the levels of psychological well- through the Zoom platform). Future studies could foresee
being of orphans of femicide, both 1 week and 2 weeks an administration of the experimental stimuli by varying
after the intervention with art images. the time range and conducting in a non-virtual context.
However, it is important to acknowledge that our Furthermore, the present study did not involve a
study is not exempt from limitations, which must be duly comparison of different methods and techniques using
considered when interpreting the results. images in relation to their effects on traumatic symptoms.
First, although the sample is specific rather than Future studies could explore the effectiveness of multiple
representative, the sample size is not particularly large. interventions by directly comparing them.
This circumstance could have limited the statistical Finally, we cannot assert that the quality of the
significance of certain results. Therefore, future studies therapeutic relationship did not exert a significant effect
could encompass a more expansive sample to ascertain the on the observed results. In future studies, this aspect could
replicability of the obtained results. be duly examined to isolate the potential effect of the use of
Second, adopting a longitudinal research design art images on traumatic symptomatology.
could be advantageous in verifying the effectiveness and Despite these limitations, the results of the study
stability of the obtained results over an extended period. hold significance as they contribute to a theoretical
While the observed persistence of the results 2-week post- advancement in interventions targeting trauma and the
intervention is promising, a comprehensive assessment well-being of a specific population, demonstrated through
of the long-term temporal stability of the results would an experimental research design. The present study is the
provide valuable insights. first, in the Italian context, to unveil the effectiveness of the
Third, it is essential to acknowledge the potential use of art images in addressing the traumatic experience
presence of unexamined mediating variables in the of orphans of feminicide. The empirical evidence obtained
study. For example, variables such as self-awareness from this research can help design increasingly sensitive
(previously studied in relation to the use of art images ) and tailored interventions. By resorting to an easy-to-use
[35]
or metacognitive functions were not accounted for. In clinical tool, interventions for orphans of femicide can be
particular, among these functions, the aspects of monitoring, designed, aimed, on the one hand, at reducing the negative
encompassing the ability to identify thoughts, beliefs, and impacts of traumatic events and the severity of symptoms
emotions, and integration, involving the maintenance of experienced and, on the other hand, at increasing the levels
a unified vision of oneself, regardless of the alternation of of psychological well-being.
several mental states, are particularly interesting . In addition to the advantage of an experimental
[28]
Fourth, the study assessed the joint effect of research design, which allows causal relationships to be
two categories of art images, namely, “Trauma” and established regarding the observed relationships, the study
“Resources.” However, this approach did not allow us to encompassed certain variables in a multidimensional
investigate the main effect of each category. Investigating manner, responding, in this sense, to one of the gaps that
the additive effect of using two categories of images on emerged from the literature analysis . In particular,
[14]
traumatic symptoms does not allow for the specificity of the traumatic symptoms were examined not in their
the effect of a single category of images to emerge. Future unidimensionality but in differentiating their frequency
studies could separately investigate the possible effect of and severity.

Volume 1 Issue 2 (2023) 10 https://doi.org/10.36922/ac.0337