Alexitimia children of art therapy effects on

Artistic works are a therapy for children in every period. However, it may not be enough to know all the developmental areas of childhood and the characteristics of these areas in order for any art activity to have the feature of therapy. Individuals close to the child have important duties to perform in order to ensure healthy communication. In the thesis, it has been tried to emphasize the critical situations experienced in childhood, the critical aspects of these situations, the duties of the relatives of the child to the child and the therapeutic power of art works. In this thesis, the effect of visual arts on alexithymic individuals between the ages of 7 and 11 in childhood to express their concerns and expressions through art therapy is examined. Alexithymia, of Greek origin, means "absence of words for feelings". In this context, art therapy is expected to create awareness in verbal expression skills of alexithymic individuals, that is, in expressing their emotions. These individuals, who receive art therapy, should be able to look at their emotions in a deeper dimension and relate their feelings with practice studies at a good level. It is to show that it is important to make important contributions when art works are applied to alexithymic children and that more research on this issue is needed. In the first part of the thesis, the importance and limitations aimed as the aim, in the second part, alexithymia, its main characteristics, the causes of alexithymia in childhood and the scales used by therapists, psychologists and psychiatrists will be mentioned. In the last and third part of the thesis; Art therapy, its types, application steps and therapeutic properties will be emphasized and examples of therapy will be given.