Draw Me Your Thoughts: The Use of Comic Strips as a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Intervention

ABSTRACT

Creating comic strips can be a viable mechanism when utilizing cognitive behavioral interventions. Generating comic strips, which involves a process of constructing sequenced panels and a story-narrative through drawing, can reveal dysfunctional cognitions that can consequently be addressed. The authors of this article discuss a qualitative case study of a 14-year-old high school boy who came for psychotherapy due to severe anxiety during math tests. Creating comic strips was found to be beneficial in externalizing problematic thinking processes, which were then utilized for cognitive restructuring and behavioral modification. The use of comic strips provided a concrete medium for analyzing maladaptive thoughts and practices, leading the way for the emotional management of anxiety with math.     

Familias Unidas’ Crossover Effects on Suicidal Behaviors among Hispanic Adolescents: Results from an Effectiveness Trial

The long‐term impact of Familias Unidas on suicidal behaviors among Hispanic 8th graders (N = 746) was examined along with parent–adolescent communication as a moderator of intervention effectiveness. At baseline, 9.2% (95% CI = 7.3%–11.6%) of adolescents reported suicide ideation and 5.7% (95% CI = 4.1%–7.7%) reported a past year suicide attempt. There were no significant intervention effects on suicidal behaviors; however, parent–adolescent communication was a moderator of suicide attempts in the past year, across the intervention (b = ?.01, p = .01). Results suggest that Familias Unidas reduces suicidal behaviors among Hispanic adolescents with low levels of parent–adolescent communication despite no suicide‐specific intervention content. Implications of these findings are discussed.