The Effects of a Food Art Therapy Group Counseling Program on the Subjective Well-Being of Middle-Grade Elementary School Children

Objectives In this study, the effect of a food art therapy group counseling program on the subjective well-being of middle-grade elementary school children was analyzed. Methods To this end, a test was conducted on 24 children located in A-si, Gyeonggi-do to measure related variables. Ten sessions of the program were conducted for children in the experimental group, while the control group was untreated. Covariant analysis (ANCOVA) was performed based on the pre-post test to confirm the effectiveness of the program. Results The experimental group experienced a significant increase in subjective well-being compared to the control group. After controlling for the effect of pre-subjective well-being on the post-score, the F statistical value of post-subjective well-being according to the presence or absence of the experimental group-control group was 7.32 (p<.05), showing a statistically significant difference in subjective well-being according to experimental control. In other words, it was statistically verified that the implementation of the food art therapy group counseling program had a positive effect on the subjective well-being of the experimental group. Conclusions This study confirmed the effectiveness of a food art therapy group counseling program in enhancing the subjective well-being of middle-grade elementary school children. Through activities such as emotional expression, fostering a positive attitude, emotional regulation, expressing gratitude, building healthy interpersonal relationships, discovering personal values, and writing self-affirming messages, the children were able to develop a more positive interpretation of their lives and a greater sense of life satisfaction—thus improving their overall subjective well-being.