Abstract

This paper is based on a qualitative and quantitative study of the artistic expression of an adolescent with borderline personality disorder (BPD). The complexity of her mental state is presented in selected artworks from three thematic cycles. The aim of artistic creation, as well as the study, included three problem areas: discovering the perception of self with an emphasis on gender/sexual identity, personal interpretation of own artwork, and recognition of own inner states before and after the artistic creation. Furthermore, the aim also included examining the participant’s mood (personal satisfaction, self-regulation and self-empowerment) before and after the artistic creation, expressed on discretized visual analogue self-assessment scales. Additional data used in the study were derived from a structured questionnaire intended for an interdisciplinary group of external observers. The study results point to risk parameters in the mental health of the adolescent, and confirm the projective dimension of her drawings/paintings. Artistic expression enables the recognition of risk parameters in her mental health to both groups of external observers. Furthermore, during and after the artistic expression, an improved spiritual component of self-perception was observed, as expressed on discretized visual analogue self-assessment scales. This confirms the underlying assumption of the undeniable usefulness of artistic expression as a tool and path for discovering, accepting, and potentially transforming oneself.