The Use of Art With Social Atoms in Substance Abuse Treatment Planning
Keywords:
psychodrama, social atom, art making, sociometry, substance abuse, addiction, alcoholism, social atom and art making, treatment planning, recoveryAbstract
J. L Moreno's social atom is an effective tool for use in treatment planning with substance abusing clients. It allows the clinician to quickly assess the client's willingness to change and the support necessary for maintaining sobriety. By using art materials and by giving clients latitude in the symbols used, clinicians increase their freedom in accessing creativity, resulting in clients disclosing a more accurate picture of their emotional state, quality of relationships, and strength of sobriety. Actual case illustrations are used to show the treatment planning process, and composite social atoms are used to protect confidentiality.
References
Buchanan, D. R. (1984). Moreno’s social atom: A diagnostic and treatment tool for exploring interpersonal relationships. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 2,155-164.
Hale, A. E. (1981). Conducting clinical sociometric explorations: A manual for psychodramatists
and sociometrists. Roanoke, VA: Royal Publishing.
Kumar, V. K., & Treadwell, T. (1986). Identifying a protagonist: Techniques and factors.
Journal of Group Psychotherapy, Psychodrama, and Sociometry, 38(4), 155-164.
Moreno, J. L. (1934)* Who shall survive? A new approach to the problem of human interrela
tions. Washington, DC: Nervous and Mental Disease Publishing.
Moreno, J. L. (1939). Psychodramatic shock therapy: A sociometric approach to the problem
of mental disorders. Psychodrama Monograph No. 5. Beacon, NY: Beacon House. Moreno, J. L. (1947). Organization of the social atom. Sociometry, 10(3), 287-293. Peterson, J. (1989). The marriage of art therapy and psychodrama. In H. Wadeson, J. Durkin, & D. Perach (Eds.), Advances in art therapy (pp. 317-355). New York: Wiley. Taylor, J. A. (1977). Investigative studies of the social atom. Unpublished manuscript, Saint Elizabeth's Hospital, Washington, DC.
Taylor, J. A. (1984). The diagnostic use of the social atom.Journal of Group Psychotherapy, Psychodrama and Sociometry, 37(2), 67-84.
Treadwell, T, & Collins, L. (1992a). The Moreno Social Atom Test—R: Brief report. Journal of Group Psychotherapy, Psychodrama, and Sociometry, 43(3), 122-124. Treadwell, T, & Collins, L. (1992b). The Social Atom Test—Revised. International Journal of Small Group Research, 3(1), 65-88.
Treadwell, T, Kumar, V. K., Stein, S. A., & Prosnick, K. (1997)- Sociometry: Tools for research and practice. The Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 22(1), 52-65. Treadwell, T, Stein, S., & Leach, E. (1989). The Social Atom Test—Revised. International Journal of Small Group Research, 5(1). 47-63-
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Psychodrama, Sociometry, and Group Psychotherapy
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.