Effectiveness of Art Therapy as Treatment for Depression among Incarcerated Women: A case of Langata Women’s Prison Nairobi-Kenya

This study sought to establish the effectiveness of art therapy as a treatment for depression at Langata Women's Prison (LWP) in Nairobi Its objectives were to determine the prevalence and severity levels of depression; identify the current psychological intervention measures used to alleviate and treat depression; and to assess the effectiveness of art therapy as treatment for depression among incarcerated women at LWP. The study hypothesized that prisoners who undergo art therapy as treatment would experience a reduction of depressive symptoms. The 21-item Becks Depression Inventory (BDI-II) assessment self-report scale was given to 217 women prisoners to identify the prevalence and severity levels of depression. Of these, 104 were in prison and 113 in remand. Since 17 responses were invalid, the sample dropped to 94 sentenced and 106 remands respectively. Due to prison exigencies, a sample of 57 was further drawn out of the 106 remands based on their levels of depression. These 57 were then divided into the treatment (29) and control (28) groups. After six weeks both the experimental and control groups were again subjected to the BDI-II assessment (post-test). Most of the incarcerated women were found to have severe depression with those in remand registering much higher levels of severe depression. There was a significant reduction of depression after administering art therapy to the experimental group, but no significant difference in the control group which was not subjected to art therapy. The study recommends that at the time of arrest of any person, mental assessment should be done for all prisoners. Special attention should also be given to mothers who commit crimes such as infanticide or homicide. Further, the Kenya Prison Services (KPS) needs to improve psychiatric services within the prison and screen inmates periodically for depression by trained professionals. The legal system should also escalate court matters to avoid prolonged stay in remand. Further studies could be replicated in other women's prisons, men s prisons as well as borstal institutions. Such studies in future should include both remands and the sentenced for comparative purposes.