Unmasking the Emotional Challenges of Adolescents
Natalie Kang Qian Yi, MA, AThR
Singapore
Natalie is a Registered Art Psychotherapist and Play Practitioner, and the founder of Art Play Psychotherapy. She uses a relational and collaborative approach in journeying with her clients to support them in gaining deeper awareness of their strengths, challenges, and inner resources. Rooted in a trauma-informed framework, Natalie has extensive experience working with children, youth, families, and individuals with developmental difficulties. She integrates creative modalities—such as art, sandplay, LEGO, and play—to meet each client’s unique needs. She believes that creative expression can foster healing and insight, particularly for those facing complex emotional or psychological challenges. In addition to her clinical work, Natalie shares her expertise through workshops and training sessions for professionals, organizations, and individuals. She also teaches as adjunct faculty, inspiring the next generation of educators and therapists. Currently, Natalie is pursuing a graduate diploma in arts-based supervision, further expanding her knowledge and expertise.
Yoko Choi Chi Mei, MA, AThR
Singapore
Yoko adores creative pursuits with space, materials and performance. Her art-making process uses a meditative approach for self-discovery and growth. Now based in Singapore, Yoko works as a Registered Art Therapist in a psychiatric ward specialised in mood disorders. She has over 10 years of experience working in the creative arts therapy and arts education sectors supporting people with neurodivergence, disabilities, children and seniors. She has worked in a humanitarian mission as a programme manager and art therapist to implement creative arts therapy programmes for diverse underprivileged groups including inmates and migrant workers. She has piloted short courses on art therapy for self-care and art therapy for preventing dementia for general public in a local art institution. She has also taught a short course on creative arts therapy and education in a local university for four years. Currently, Yoko is undergoing professional training on arts-based supervision, somatic experiencing and EMDR basic training.
Dr. Pamela Costes-Onishi
Singapore
Dr. Pamela Costes-Onishi is an Education Research Scientist (Lecturer) at the Nanyang Technological University of Singapore, where she contributes to the Centre for Research in Pedagogy and Practice (CRPP). Pamela earned her Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology at the University of Washington under a graduate merit full scholarship and teaching/research assistantships. Her research interests and publications include topics on teacher learning and leadership, inquiry-based learning, aesthetics in education, arts education, diversity in education, school-community partnerships, and Southeast Asian music & cultures. Pamela is also the editor of Artistic Thinking in the Schools: Towards Innovative Arts /in/Education Research for Future-ready Learners, a book representing the major thrust of her research trajectory in building educational theory on the value of aesthetic experience in responding to wider educational issues on teacher professional learning, teacher and student well-being, lifelong learning, and cognitive development.
The selection and use of materials plays a critical role in art therapy for facilitating self-awareness, expression and emotional processing given that these choices can evoke differing experiences within clients, while reflecting client’s characteristics through their material interactions (Pénzes et al., 2014). Different materials thus carry distinct symbolic meanings, and can help clients access their unconscious thoughts and feelings (Malchiodi, 2012).
Fig. 1. Opposite, mixed media on canvas mask
Amongst the many materials used in art therapy, masks have been used as a projective technique in exploring one’s persona, allowing one to bring to consciousness how they see themselves. As such, this offers the individuals an opportunity to engage in an exploration of self-image and identity. However, there exists a gap in current literature investigating the use of masks and its therapeutic impact on school-going adolescents. Along this vein, this article explores themes arising from adolescents’ use of masks as a symbolic container of the self. It further discusses the ways in which mask-making can facilitate meaningful therapeutic conversations and self-exploration for these adolescents, allowing them to confront, process and better understand their evolving identities and sense of self.
35 students aged 13-15 years old participated in the therapeutic creation of their masks as part of a arts-based intervention programme facilitated by art therapists in schools. They were provided with blank, ready-made 3-dimensional canvas masks and an array of art supplies to support their creations, such as collage materials, acrylic paints and air-dry clay. Students were invited to use the masks as a metaphor for exploring the various aspects of their inner and outer selves. Students were then invited to share a short description of their mask or the process of creation. A thematic analysis revealed several key themes which were reflected in the ongoing developmental and emotional challenges faced by the students while navigating their emerging sense of identity and autonomy, which are crucial developmental tasks in supporting their wellbeing (Ruiz & Yabut, 2024).
“Amongst the many materials used in art therapy, masks have been used as a projective technique in exploring one’s persona, allowing one to bring to consciousness how they see themselves. ”
Fig 2. Examples showcasing themes of fragmentation within students’ creations, mixed media on canvas mask
The sense of duality was a primary theme and was expressed by many students. This duality highlights the stark contrast between the public persona portrayed on the outside, and the private, inner emotional world within. For instance, Candice described how the external facade, which was “smiling for people on the outside,” contrasted with an internal experience of sadness, loneliness, and anger (see Fig. 1). This reflects the tension that many adolescents experience in conformity to societal expectation and pressure to portray socially acceptable versions of the self (Zhang et al., 2016). At the same time, the raw, unfiltered emotions captured by the inner masks aligns with Erikson’s (1968) theory of identity formation, where adolescents often struggle with reconciling external expectations with internal realities, leading to a fragmented sense of self. This was evident in participant’s descriptions of their masks as “broken”, “torn”, or “fragmented” and reflected materially through the use of torn pieces of paper, disjointed colours or contrasting tones and textures (see Fig. 2). This perceived sense of fragmentation or confusion further encapsulates the internal battle that the students experience within, perhaps feeling torn with their developmental need to explore and individuate while at the same time, conform to peers and society (Marcia, 1980).
Next, the students shared how the process of creating and expressing themselves through the masks was cathartic as it allowed an avenue to externalize emotions that were difficult to verbalize. For instance, Talia shared how black was used to symbolize the “toxic feelings and sufferings” while the use of gold symbolizes a desire for joy and healing (see Fig. 3). The mask thus becomes an emotional container and visual metaphor that contains the projections of the students, allowing the process to bring healing as students engaged in self-reflection. This aligns with present literature, where the process of art-making supports cathartic release and emotional regulation to facilitate healing (Hinz, 2009).
Fig 3. Me, acrylic paints on canvas mask
Additionally, the masks symbolically allowed students to “mask” their emotions, thereby providing a sense of protection as it shields and safeguards them from exposing their vulnerabilities to others. This stood out in their sharing of how they conceptualized the act of "masking" as a coping mechanism to deal with the social anxiety, familial expectations and peer pressure. For instance, SooHui described how the "outside" of the mask was created to appear "neat" and "perfect" to conform to external expectations, while the inside revealed raw, unprocessed emotions in her artwork titled “fake and real me” (see Fig. 4). This resonates with theories of adolescent development, where the need for autonomy and self-protection becomes especially pronounced as adolescents face increasing pressures to conform to societal norms and expectations (Ruiz & Yabut, 2024).
Lastly, some students shared a desire for transformation and growth, symbolizing their ongoing journey of self-awareness and realization as they seek to reconcile conflicting aspects of their identity (see Fig. 5). These symbolic representations further highlight the adolescents’ desire for personal growth and their struggle in integrating different parts of themselves. The process of creating the mask then builds an avenue for the students to engage in a process of self-exploration as they reflect on who they were and who they wanted to become, allowing an exploration of the developmental task of reconciling different aspects of the self to achieve a coherent and integrated identity. This further corroborates with Marcia’s (1980) theory of identity development, where identity development is vital to an adolescent’s understanding of themselves and participation in their social systems.
“SooHui described how the ‘outside’ of the mask was created to appear ‘neat’ and ‘perfect’ to conform to external expectations, while the inside revealed raw, unprocessed emotions in her artwork titled Fake and real me’.”
Mask-making offers adolescents a creative avenue to explore their evolving identities and complex emotional landscapes as they seek to bridge the gap between their inner and outer selves. This article highlights how mask-making provides adolescents with an opportunity for self-reflection, emotional expression, and growth in the face of developmental challenges. By facilitating conversations around duality, fragmentation, protection, and transformation, this therapeutic approach not only helps adolescents process their experiences but also supports their journey toward greater self-awareness and emotional well-being. Ultimately, mask-making serves as a valuable tool in helping adolescents confront and navigate the intricacies of their identity formation, providing them with a framework for personal growth and emotional healing.
Acknowledgements
This study was funded by The Red Pencil (Singapore) and co-administered with the National Institute of Education (NIE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Red Pencil (Singapore) and NIE.
Consent from participants of this research were obtained based on ethics approval by Nanyang Technological University IRB ref: IRB-2022-1083.
References
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