AGE-RELATED AND SEX ASPECTS OF EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES IN THE CONTEXT OF MILITARY AGRESSION IN UKRAINE: ART THERAPY TECHNIQUE “BLACK SQUARE”

Abstract

Abstract. The present article undertakes a comprehensive examination involving both quantitative and qualitative analyses concerning the utilization of the art therapy technique «Black Square» in the context of interpreting the emotional experiences of participants as manifest within their generated drawings. The investigation employs art therapy as a methodological approach to discern and scrutinize the manifestations of negative emotions, along with their pronounced intensity, during periods of wartime. Central to this study is the art therapy technique denoted as the «Black Square», a creative process involving the formation of a drawing featuring a black square. This technique serves as a means to unveil and scrutinize the emotional states of individuals. The analytical process encompasses an evaluative appraisal of the employed symbols, colors, dimensions, and shading present within the drawings, paralleled by a quantifiable explication of the emotional encounters. The analysis yields noteworthy differentiations pertaining to the emotional experiences of male and female participants. Males exhibit a proclivity towards more potent and intensified negative emotional states as conveyed through the drawn depictions. Conversely, females display a heightened adeptness at managing transient emotional states, effecting their conversion into positive or neutral manifestations. This conclusion is underpinned by the selection of prevailing hues, their inherent symbolism, and appellations. In tandem, an investigation into the influence exerted by the variable of age on emotional experiences has been undertaken. Evidently, the younger demographic manifests a proclivity for heightened expressiveness, dynamic emotional flux, and an inclination towards transforming detrimental emotional states into positive equivalents – a reality reflected through the extensive utilization of a diverse color palette in their drawings. On the contrary, mature individuals exhibit an increased concentration on negative states, their rationalization, and a desire for transformation, as underscored by a diminished use of colors or the perpetuation of the unaltered black. Collectively, this study substantiates the existence of discernible disparities in emotional experiences across gender and age categories. The distinctive articulation of negative emotions can be attributed to gender-related dynamics, age-related variations, as well as personal strategies for managing emotional states during periods of conflict.