Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Effect Of Family’S Engagement In Music Therapy Early Intervention: A Literature Review, Yu Shih

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

In early intervention programs, research has established the positive effect music therapy has on children with disabilities’ ability to engage in environment more effectively. Also, family engagement is noted to benefit the music therapy process in early intervention. This thesis describes developmental disabilities in early childhood stages, and the relationships between music therapy and parent-child engagement. Music applied as an intervention helps the development of cognitive skills, language skills, social-pragmatic skills, and social-behavior skills (Greenspan, 2006). Sensory stimulations, caregivers’ attention and response, nonverbal stimulations and communications skills from caregivers affect children’s developmental stages. Six stages of floortime are used to …

From Movement To Self: A Literature Review On The Potential Effect Of Dance Movement Therapy On The Understanding Of Self-Identity For People With Borderline Personality Disorder, Natalia Santiago

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This literature review looks at whether Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) might be useful when treating identity disturbances within Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). It begins by analyzing the role of identity within one’s life. Identifying how self-concept strongly impacts how one perceives and behaves within their surroundings. Identity disturbance is a characteristic of BPD that has been found to be pervasive. The lack of self-concept is also tied to the other symptoms of BPD, such as impulsivity, dysregulation, and difficulties with interpersonal relationships. Genetics, brain function, and complex childhood trauma are thought to impact the development of BPD. Persistent adverse experiences can …

Exploring Storytelling With Survivors Of The Sierra Leone Civil War, Manu A. Carpenter

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Bessal van der Kolk (2007) describes the effects of childhood trauma and concludes that the body remembers trauma. Meaning that the results from one's negative experience holds that energy until it is released. Those who have experienced traumatic events due to war may have never had an opportunity to heal from it. In researching different approaches to mental health interventions, this thesis shows the power of storytelling through the method of interviewing. The participants in this investigation are survivors of the civil war in Sierra Leone, West Africa. Six Part story method by Lahad (2006) is used to analyze the …

Claywork In Art Therapy With Survivors Of Childhood Sexual Abuse, Jennifer Morrison

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This literature review explores the potential benefits of the claywork modality within art therapy as a treatment for individuals who experienced childhood sexual abuse or trauma. The goals of this literature review are to indicate and define appropriate terms; discuss the forms and prevalence of childhood sexual abuse and trauma; explore traditional treatment models; investigate the benefits of claywork in treatment for survivors of childhood sexual abuse and trauma. The research reviewed included published studies, research analyses, and literature reviews covering the topics of childhood sexual abuse and trauma, group therapy, art therapy for the treatment of trauma, and claywork. …

Integrating Expressive Arts Therapy And Spirituality: A Literature Review Of Trauma Treatment, Kylie O'Neill

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This literature review responds to the question, “Does a combination of spirituality and expressive arts therapy (EAT) work for the treatment of trauma in adolescent girls?” According to the literature, EAT already has significant information that it is helpful for healing trauma, including measurable research studies on trauma symptom improvement in adolescent girls using EAT, client self-reports of improvement in trauma symptoms using EAT, arts-based research including progress measured by client art, and writing by experts in the field of EAT. While spirituality is and has been in many people’s lives and is accepted in countries outside of the United …

Examining The Creative Therapies As A Strategy For Addressing The Trauma Of Intimate Partner Violence: A Literature Review, Gina Cestaro

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Thirty percent of all women worldwide will experience intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime (WHO, 2019). IPV is damaging to the body and mind, and impacts every area of a woman’s life, and frequently results in trauma (Murray, et al., 2017). The seriousness and prevalence of intimate partner violence clearly warrants research into effective treatments. Consequently, this literature review examines existing arts-based interventions that address the symptomology of trauma and how those interventions could specifically benefit victim-survivors of IPV. Research in neuroscience has shown that memories of a traumatic experience are often stored as disconnected fragments and overwhelming bodily …

Expressive Arts, Social Circus, And Community Music Therapy: A Literature Review, Tyler Sabourin

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This capstone thesis explores the broad ways in which the expressive arts therapies can be applied with a community focus. Particular attention is paid to the community-centered goals and the role of performance in social circus as they relate to the current practice and goals of community music therapy. Through an exploration of social circus models, the connection between social circus and therapeutic theater is described, and emerging literature that links the two is analyzed. The field of community music therapy is explored, as are its theoretical similarities to social circus. The current limitations on research of mixed-modality practices which …

Music Interventions For A Child With Developmental Disabilities, Zishan Xiong

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This capstone thesis project explores a musical intervention (Development Interaction Through Music, DITM) for a 9-year-old girl with neurodevelopmental disorders in a school setting. Although there was research on the application of music therapy in different populations, there are relatively few documentations on music therapy in the field of special education. Some case studies have found that music therapy has a positive effect on people with developmental disorders (Thompson & McFerran, 2015). Clinicians need to engage in more clinical practice and collect case data as strong evidence. Music therapists who work with children with severe disabilities are recommended to build …

Participation Investigation: The Development Of A Method For Working With Arts-Averse Adolescents, Patrick Sibbett

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The therapist’s role in fostering engagement in art-making is an often-overlooked topic within the expressive therapies. Many individual clients and groups present as disinterested in art which can put the expressive therapist in a particularly challenging position with regards to working in their preferred methods. This paper investigates primary motivations and barriers to participation as they relate to adolescents presenting with behaviors that interfere with their academic success by delving into literature examining participation and relationship building. In an attempt to identify possible solutions that encourage engagement with the arts, four principles for the design of inclusive arts experientials are …

Critically And Creatively Engaging With Trauma-Informed Mental Health Research And Treatment Of Lgbtqia+ Communities As Expressive Arts Therapists: A Literature Review, Kelli Lavallee

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Expressive Arts Therapists are uniquely situated as both artists and mental health counselors working in psychological pedagogy rooted in systems of oppression. Given the arts-based approaches to the therapeutic relationship, it can be unethical to offer these approaches without acknowledgement of the ways in which the arts intersect with social justice, and justice is only viable if practitioners critically review the clinical mental health education they are consuming from the institutions they learn in, specifically trauma-informed mental health research assimilation and treatment approaches for Expressive Arts Therapists in training, practice, and education. A review of the literature in this paper …

T Is For Territory: A Literature Review Of Human Experience In Dramatic And Virtual Spaces, Jennifer Marshall

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Abstract A theoretical investigation of the spaces where dramatic realities and virtual realities reside is researched and examined. How and for what purpose these locations exist is considered. Is technological space actual, virtual, or somewhere in between and where do our bodies intersect in that dimensional landscape? Can we as practitioners of drama therapy, specifically Developmental Transformations (DvT), be in conversation with the growing dominance of virtual technologies, and where do the boundaries of human territory fit in relation to both? Possible implications for future practice/research are considered. An appendix is included with examples of my art-based response to the …

A Literature Review Of Community Art Therapy With Youth In Inner City Communities Of Color, Jennifer Habeeb

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This literature review was developed to synthesize the research surrounding community-based art therapy with youth who reside in inner city communities of color. Youth of color in inner city communities face a number of different challenges such as low socioeconomic status, social inequality, discrimination, and lack of political representation. There is currently little research on the impact of art therapy and expressive arts interventions with this population, however; these interventions have shown to be effective in a number of different areas. Literature revealed that community-based art therapy with inner city youth of color has shown to increase self-esteem, decrease symptoms …

Understanding The Verbalization Of Child Trauma Through Dance/Movement Therapy: A Literature Review, Nicole C. Camuso

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Born without verbal language, humans rely on movement to understand basic needs (Beltran, Brown-Elhillali, Held, Ryce, Ofonedu, Hoover, Ensor, & Belcher, 2016). In the 1950s, Dance/Movement Therapists started to connect the mind and body as one entity (Chaiklin & Wengrower, 2009). This integration supported the idea that by working together, the mind and body can help the individuals understand their sense of self as a whole, including the physiological, emotional, sociocultural, and cognitive parts (Chaiklin & Wengrower, 2009). This literature review explores literature about traumatized children and the use of Dance/Movement Therapy. By allowing access to DMT and combining both …

Positive Art Therapy And Well-Being In Urban Us Schools: A Critical Review Of The Literature, Jennifer Hicks

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The integration of positive art therapy into urban school systems holds great promise in increasing the general well-being of adolescents at a systemic level. Urban school systems tend to have a diverse ethnic population as well as students of low socioeconomic status. Adolescents in urban schools often face difficulties that stretch beyond academics such as poverty and racism. It is argued that there should be a method developed to diminish the growing rate of mental health issues within this demographic. Treating symptoms of mental health difficulties is important but looking at what makes people happy should not be ignored. What …

Art Therapy In Public Education, Sophie Edelman

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This literature review explores the history of art therapy in education. By understanding the history it is clear that art therapy has always been a positive force for students. By learning from the successes and challenges in our history we are better able to plan for future programing and expansion of art therapy programs. Because art therapy was developed in part by educators, the history of art therapy itself is linked with the history of art therapy in schools. In today’s application of art therapy in education there are three models most typically used. The research discusses the strengths and …

Critical Pedagogy In The Intercultural Classroom: The Influence Of Values On Participatory Patterns In The Classroom, Misheel Mandalsaikhan

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This thesis explores the influence of values on students’ participatory patterns within higher education settings and considers the importance of value exploration in art therapy education. Based on the theory of critical pedagogy by Paulo Freire, the influence of historically oppressive pedagogical practices on international and minority students is examined. Drawing on literature that identifies factors in students’ participatory patterns, students’ participatory patterns were found to be determined by values more than race or ethnicity. Though broader values exist within racial and ethnic groups, the reduction of ethnic and racial groups to singular values strips individuals of their unique and …

Kin(A)Esthetic Paper Play: A Community Engagement Project Offering A Therapeutic Experience By Exploring An Emergent Method Of Expressive Arts Therapy With Clinicians Who Studied Expressive Arts, Bed Hermin

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

For this community engagement project, I explored an emergent practice of Kin(a)esthetic Paper Play with expressive arts therapists. This practice aligns with Buddhist philosophy and practice in the West and its benefits can be explained through the theory of Embodied Simulation. The literature on Buddhism and Embodied Simulation highlights the positive benefits of abstract meditative processes done in groups. My goal was to explore the therapeutic elements of K(a)P within a community group setting. When elements of Kin(a)esthetic Paper Play were introduced to a group of alumni from Lesley’s Expressive Arts Therapy graduate program it was received well. I learned …

Expressive Arts Therapy And The Loneliness Epidemic- A Critical Review Of Literature, Tiffany Crockett

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Loneliness has become a public health crisis in this country, and research is still fairly new. However, current research indicates that emerging and aging adults are most affected by loneliness and social isolation. With these populations, the most effective treatments to be found included connecting with others through conversation and volunteering, along with expressive arts. This thesis presents loneliness in a historical context and focuses on loneliness between three major groups: emerging adults, aging adults, and those in romantic dependent relationships. Specifically, this thesis aims to provide a thorough literature review of academic and non-academic resources offering interventions for loneliness …

Moving Through Depression: Development Of A Dance/Movement Therapy Method In Psychiatric Inpatient Care, Melissa Olmedo

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Short-term psychiatric hospitalization is a challenging health care model due to its short duration of care, treating the highest risk psychiatric population. Priority care within a short-term psychiatric hospitalization involves monitoring a patient’s safety for stabilization by decreasing acute mental health symptoms. Holistic psychotherapy treatment options are needed to meet the severity of patients’ symptoms for effective stabilization within a short-term model of care. This paper investigates the first implementation of a dance/movement therapy (DMT) method within two short-term units in a notable Boston hospital. The DMT group called Mindful Movement was facilitated weekly as single sessions to adults ranging …

Community Music Therapy For Marginalized Middle School Students, Karen J Mathews

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Abstract

Community Music Therapy has been a recent development in the field of Music Therapy. Community Music Therapy occurs at the intersection of traditional Music Therapy and Community Music. Community Music Therapy incorporates principles of psychology, sociology, and ecology. Studies indicate that goals of self-efficacy, voice, social justice, and group cohesion are well met through the use of Community Music Therapy. This paper explores a project using Community Music Therapy with a group of self-selected middle school students in addressing concerns and emotions around equity, diversity, and inclusion. The results of this project demonstrated that Community Music Therapy is an …

What Was Lost: How Dance/Movement Therapy Can Support The Retention And Repair Of Cognitive Abilities In Cancer Patients, A Literature Review, Sarah E. Menser

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This literature review examines research surrounding the effects of chemotherapy on cognitive abilities alongside methods of increasing cognitive functioning throughout treatment. Cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is seen in many patients undergoing chemotherapy yet has had little attention in cancer research. However, research that has been performed shows that by increasing physical activity during chemotherapy often results in improved cognitive abilities as well as increasing individual’s memory, focus, and multi-tasking abilities. With this connection between physical exercise and cognitive functioning, this author is interested in investigating the idea that dance/movement therapy can assist in the recovery and repair of residual cognitive …

The Effectiveness Of Dance/Movement Therapy In Addressing Challenging Symptoms Of Transgenerational Trauma Found In Descendants Of Holocaust Survivors, Melissa Tibay

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Numerous studies have illustrated how psychological distress related to the Holocaust is present in children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors. This transmission of trauma, referred to as transgenerational trauma, has subsequently resulted in the occurrence of challenging psychosocial symptoms within these descendants. While there is growing evidence of a biological transmission of trauma, there is a lack of treatment for this population on a body level. This paper examines how dance/movement therapy could be utilized in the process of healing from transgenerational trauma by addressing trauma held within the body, as well as the resulting problematic symptoms, including lacking a …

Conducting Our Inner Critic Chorus: Development Of A Method For A Music Therapy Intern And Young Adults In A Partial Hospitalization Program, Morgan Johnston

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The voice of the Inner Critic has shown to have harmful effects on the mental health of young adults, while self-compassion has shown to have the potential to mitigate these effects. This thesis reviews the literature on the theories of Mindful Self-Compassion and Community Music Therapy singing and songwriting. The knowledge acquired was the basis of the method, Conducting Our Inner Critic Chorus, that was developed. In the method, participants conduct the movement from their Inner Critic to their Inner Compassionate. The method was applied to young adults in a psychiatric partial hospitalization program group context five times. Afterwards, the …

The Embodiment Of Culture: How Anthropology Informs The Practice Of Dance/Movement Therapy, Carlie Silva

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The field of anthropology – the study of human culture – has much to contribute to understanding the practice of dance/movement therapy (DMT) from a culturally-informed vantage point. We exist in an epoch of expressive arts therapy where multicultural competency is becoming increasingly emphasized. Yet, culture’s grasp goes beyond its influence on the way people understand their world – it also shapes how people come to understand and make meaning with their bodies. This thesis reviews five categories of literature: 1) the influence of culture on the construction of the embodied “self”; 2) the influence of culture on movement tendencies …

Dance/Movement Therapy And Its Implications In A Studio-Based Dance Program: A Community Engagement Project, Akeila Sharp

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Adolescent females often struggle with emotional regulation, developing relationships, and poor body image. Research indicates that taking dance classes or participating in dance movement therapy sessions can be an effective technique to improve in these areas. However, there is limited research on the use of both in one setting. Therefore, this capstone explored the impacts of dance on adolescent females and the implications of dance/movement therapy (DMT) in a studio-based dance program. The objective of this project was to examine how restructuring a dance class using DMT interventions could improve problem areas such as low self-esteem, lack of communication skills, …

Art Therapy, Mass Media And Self-Acceptance With Adolescents: A Literature Review, Samantha Leary

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This literature reviews provides a synopsis of art therapy its potential benefits in combating negative effects associated with social media and adolescents’ sense of self-acceptance. Using art therapy as a mode of self-expression is found to help negate negative effects of social media and provide adolescents with healthy tools to help them develop and grow. Social media provides a wealth of information that can be detrimental to the emotional growth of young adults. In this literature review lack of face to face connection, idealized beauty standards, instant gratification and social comparisons are correlated to depressive symptoms in adolescents. Through the …

Abstract Art And Its Effects On Stress In High School Students: Development Of A Method, Shera Weintraub

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Abstract

Stress in schools has become an increasing problem within the United States. Adolescents struggle with high rates and high levels of anxiety due to many pressures surrounding them, especially expectations from school. Due to their growing brains, stress and anxiety during this time can affect future functioning. It is crucial that teens learn ways to manage stress levels now, so they can develop healthy coping skills that can continue into adulthood. There has been plenty of research on art therapy and its benefits for mental health in this population. This study investigates the effects of abstract art on stress …

Group Art Processing For Young Adults Experiencing Complex Bereavement: A Literature Review, Jaran L. Stallbaum

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This literature review distinguished group arts processing as a successful approach to treating clinically diagnosed bereavement, specifically as a sustainable support in the developmental milestones of young adults. Expressive arts therapy interventions were examined as a successful treatment option to sustain expected age appropriate developmental milestones. Current literature indicated that the expansion from cyclical grief theory has opened up multiple opportunities for more dimensional and art inclusive bereavement supports. Peer-support models and age specific processing groups have an evidenced-based presence in service offerings for this age range. Through expressive therapy directives that focus on objectives of meaning making, memorializing, and …

Engagement And The Therapeutic Process In Art Therapy With Adolescent Boys In Residential Care: A Literature Review, Lauren Gallagher

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Current treatments for youth in residential treatment incorporate aspects of behavioral based and psych-educational based approaches with point and level systems, cognitive behavioral therapy, psychiatric services, and psychopharmacological treatment. However, research is lacking on improving the agency, motivation, and motivating factors of the therapeutic process for children in residential settings, specifically adolescent boys. Art therapy with a relational and person-centered focus may be an influential alternative treatment to motivate and engage this population. Within this body of research, the areas of art therapy, trauma-informed practice, relational-cultural theory, person-centered approaches, and the C.A.R.E. model are explored as treatment methodologies with adolescent …

A Specialized Dance/Movement Therapy Assessment And Proposed Plan For Addressing The Physical And Emotional Well-Being Of Line Workers, Jordan Rodrigues

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This capstone thesis utilized qualitative methods to explore the experiences of National Grid linemen for the purposes of creating a dance/movement therapy warm-up. Information was gathered through individual meetings, where questions about participants’ physical, mental, and emotional health were discussed in relation to their specific occupation. From the information gathered, six themes were identified. To address the recognized issues, eight proposed warm-ups were created. The warm-ups, specifically crafted from participants’ firsthand accounts, are rooted in both Laban Movement Analysis principles and Bartineff Fundamentals. Sessions are intended to be run by a licensed dance/movement therapist at the beginning of each workday …