Digital Commons Network^™

Moving Through Loss: The Experience Of Ambiguous Loss With Hospitalized Children, The Development Of A Method, Peyton Edington

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The current method examined the effects of ambiguous loss with medical transplant patients in a pediatric hospital by utilizing a dance/movement therapy intervention. The development of this method was based on ambiguous loss theory with a dance/movement therapy approach. The explored literature identified central themes of ambiguous loss, such as resilience. These themes were connected to the practice of dance/movement therapy, such as embodiment. With this connection, the intervention was developed and implemented with participants. The central themes that emerged from the intervention were change, loss, meaning-making, and hope. One child and two adolescents were participants in this intervention, and …

Mortality, Mortuaries, And Movement - Implications Of Dance/Movement Therapy And Death: A Literature Review, Mckenna L. Allred

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Dance/movement therapy (DMT) is a somatic-based psychotherapy approach that can supplement existing therapy techniques or stand on its own as effective psychological treatment. As a growing field, DMT continues to expand its application to different populations. This literature review analyzed the implications of DMT application for individuals who are dying. While the application of DMT with diverse populations has been studied, the literature regarding the application of DMT with dying individuals is slim. Medical, spiritual, and emotional treatment during death have received considerable attention in academic literature, however, the application of many body-based psychological treatment interventions has not been studied …

Effect Of Art Media On The Collective Mood Of A Middle School Art Therapy Group: A Development Of A Method, Jaime Isaak

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The art medium influences emotional expression and is a tool for change within the therapeutic art process. Research reveals physiological changes in participants’ heart rate and brain activity when working with art materials in response to the art medium’s resistive and fluid qualities. Art therapists can assess a person’s emotional presentation and decide which art media are psychologically appropriate for a person by observing changes in mood, emotions, and non-verbal language. A therapeutic game was played over three sessions with an art therapy group of adolescents, ages 11-14 years old, within a therapeutic middle school setting. Changes in the group’s …

Exploring The Benefits Of Expressive Arts Therapy With Survivors Of Sexual Violence, A Literature Review, Allison Dooley

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Sexual violence is a common experience throughout the United States. The aftermath of this traumatic experience impacts the entire body, including the emotional, physical, and mental states of an individual. The distressing symptoms of sexual violence can last from weeks to years. The aftermath of sexual violence can make it difficult for victims to complete daily tasks and can lead to disorders such as Depression or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This literature review explores the current treatments used with survivors of sexual violence, which include trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, and other effective treatments. Due to …

Engaging Adolescents With Art: Exploring Experiences Between Two- And Three- Dimensional Media Among Teen Boys With Mental Health Needs, Clare Miller

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This paper explores how adolescents engage with two- and three-dimensional art materials during the creative process, in addition to the role of the therapist, the artmaking and other contributing factors that influence their experience. Using a humanistic, client-centered approach, these factors were explored with a focus on client strengths, positive regard, and client-led discussion. The literature provided insight around how people react to materials and how diverse materials can provide diverse art experiences, as well as how artmaking is used with vulnerable populations. The literature informed the research in how it analyzed, interpreted, and discussed the art and artmaking process. …

A Systemic Approach To Understanding Burnout Through The Lens Of The United States’ Professional Art Therapy (And Mental Health) Community: A Literature Review, Mary Welch

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Burnout among mental health counseling and art therapy professionals has long been an issue (Meyerson 1998; Prins et al., 2015; Yang & Hayes, 2020; Zeira 2021). While previous research into the causes and reduction of burnout have focused primarily on individual burnout, both in terms of psychology and workplace habits (Rollins et al. 2021), very few studies have been done examining the systemic, institutional, and cultural contributions to burnout in these professions. This paper aims to explore the connection between community standards and the current systems that intersect professional art therapy practice in the United States and the areas in …

Prioritizing Bereavement In Counseling Education And Expressive Therapies: A Critical Review Of The Literature, Kayla Frazer

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Bereavement is a topic of clinical counseling that is limited in the education of clinical counselors. This is possibly due to bereavement not being a required course for state licensure or CACREP standards; thus, it stands as a lower priority for colleges/universities to offer a course in this subject. I sought to research new counselors’ perspectives on supporting clients who have experienced bereavement as they may not have had any foundational education on bereavement. Multiple articles have recommended that bereavement should be a prioritized course in master’s level counseling education. As an expressive arts therapy student and counselor in training, …

Dance Movement Therapy For Neurological Development In Ages 0-3: A Critical Review Of The Literature, Anna Rupert

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The effects of movement on neurodevelopment have been studied by many in both the psychology and neuroscience fields. However, there is a lack of research into the specific ways in which movement is being used to affect neurodevelopment and which specific types of movement most benefit neurodevelopment. This study aims to bridge that gap in the literature by investigating how movement impacts neurological development in infants aged 0-3. Research was pulled from peer reviewed journals using Lesley Library, Syracuse University Library, and Google Scholar and synthesized into four key categories: neurodevelopment in infants aged 0-3, impacts of experience and culture …

Benefits Of Expressive Arts In Coping With Anxiety For Inpatient Adolescents: Development Of A Method, Cecelia Fioriello

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Developmentally, adolescence is a period of change and for teens experiencing psychiatric crisis, these changes may be more difficult to manage. Adolescents admitted to a psychiatric inpatient unit are often experiencing emotional or psychological crises and complex mental health needs. The arts-based intervention that took place aimed to seek the benefits of artmaking in coping with anxiety and stress for adolescents in a short-term psychiatric inpatient unit who all experience symptoms of anxiety. Patients, ages 12-18, participated in three expressive arts groups that used watercolor to encourage the use of arts-based interventions to cope with anxiety, encourage connections with peers …

Dance/Movement Therapy As A Transdisciplinary Approach To Treating Trauma, Destany Schadder

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This thesis considers dance/movement therapy as a transdisciplinary approach to treating trauma in the body. It explains what the functions of the brain are, how trauma negatively affects it, and how posttraumatic stress disorder is expressed in both the body and the brain. It discusses multidisplinary approaches, it shows how these approaches leverage the body in treating trauma. Moreover, it demonstrates the benefits and advantages of a dance/movement therapist in supporting individuals who have experienced traumatic events. To achieve these goals, this thesis discusses research by neuroscientists, such as Damassio (1999), who maintain that the body and mind directly affect …

Using Art Therapy With Grieving Adolescents Through Telehealth: A Critical Review Of The Literature, Brenna Cole

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Grief is an inevitable part of the human experience. In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, art therapists across the world were abruptly forced to adapt their services to an online model, most with little to no training on how to do so. Adolescents experienced death of loves ones and trauma at colossal rates. Legal and ethical issues arose as art therapists blindly began navigating this new terrain all while maintaining client caseloads. This literature review examines the strengths and limitations of the rising use of art therapy through telehealth with grieving adolescents. A search for literature on using art …

The Therapeutic Intersection Of Dance And Sport In Trauma, A Critical Review Of The Literature, Molly Rockwood

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Trauma is the psychological and physiological response to environmental triggers as a protective measure. Adolescents with trauma histories or trauma symptoms are introduced to new environments as they grow and mature into adulthood; however, without the appropriate skills or understanding, these maturing youth cannot appropriately adapt to new environments or communities without the activation of the autonomic nervous system and its protective behaviors (fight, flight, freeze, or fawn). Dance/movement therapy and sports-based therapies are two body-based modalities that utilize movement to engage youth in the therapeutic process and to treat trauma symptoms. This literature review explores the ways in which …

Toward A Co-Working Posture In Global Mental Health: A Literature Review On The Use Of Photovoice In Partnership With Forcibly Displaced Populations, Bethany Randolph

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Abstract

As of 2020, the number of forcibly displaced people in the world numbered 82.4 million. This radically diverse population, approximately one in every 95 people, only continues to burgeon as wars and conflicts send millions fleeing for their lives. Sadly, on top of the massive allostatic load endured by the forcibly displaced, many are then doubly harmed by global mental health professionals who lack insight into the culture and worldview of the fellow humans they serve. In an effort to support meaningful therapeutic work in the cross-cultural milieu, this paper presents a literature review inquiry into the purpose and …

Pool-Based Dance/Movement Therapy With An Elder Population: A Literature Review, Jabyn Cleere

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) is used widely with elders, yet little is known about the sub-field of pool-based therapy. Specific practices in DMT with elders appear in the literature with groups and individuals and uses of props that support issues of balance. While pool-based DMT literature is limited, there is a body of knowledge in related fields that tie closely to the idea of this approach. While implementing treatment in a pool setting may be limiting due to fears or ability, the literature review revealed that using pool DMT would benefit elderly health. Benefits to physical aspects such as balance, muscular …

Body-Based Activism And Embodied Protest Art, Community Engagement Project With Karen And Karenni Young Adults, Ivy I. Kuhn

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This paper explores body-based activism and embodied protest art as a means to connect to others and participate in social activism. It serves to identify embodied and body-based practices that allow individuals to settle in their bodies to be present and in connection with others in order to feel empowered and motivated to sustain social activist movements. The author further identifies how community arts-based projects help give voice to marginalized, refugee communities that can often feel isolated or voiceless in their displacement. The author engaged in a community engagement project with a group of Karen and Karenni young adults to …

Expressive Therapies And Suicidality In Youth, Emily Devlin

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Youth suicide is a serious, global public health issue necessitating a transdisciplinary approach to treatment and prevention. The creative processes underlying expressive therapies (i.e., drama therapy, music therapy, art therapy, dance/movement therapy, and expressive arts therapies) provide a unique opportunity for mental health clinicians to address the destructive experiences underlying suicidality (i.e., suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, or death by suicide). Empirical studies utilizing expressive therapies with suicidal youth are scarce, and the field of suicidology does not highlight expressive therapies, creative arts therapies, or arts-based psychotherapies within suicide prevention. This thesis explores the overlap that does exist between expressive therapies …

Healing Stories: Bibliotherapy And Art Therapy As Tools To Support Bereaved Children, A Literature Review, Sarah K. Robinson

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

When I was interning at a bereavement center for children as a second-year graduate student, I witnessed the use of children’s books by an art therapist. This made me curious as to whether the joint use of art therapy and bibliotherapy is an effective support for this population. This critical review of the literature explored this idea by first defining art therapy and bibliotherapy, placing them within a historical context, and noting similarities between the two modalities. Recent sources regarding theories and therapeutic approaches for grief and bereavement were gathered and explored to deepen the understanding of how art therapy …

William & Mary Commencement (May 21, 2022), College Of William & Mary

Commencement Exercises

No abstract provided.

Anti-Oppressive Pedagogy In Dance/Movement Therapy Education: Embodied Experiences Of Black, Indigenous, And Students Of Color, Chevon Stewart

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This study explored the embodied graduate educational experiences of dance/movement therapy students who were Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). Eight research participants who were between the ages of 22 to 45 years old were recruited from American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA) approved programs. Participants self-identified as Black/African American and Jamaican, Black/African American, Latinx/Brazilian, Asian/Chinese, Asian/Filipino, Asian/Chinese and Taiwanese American, and Asian/Chinese and White American. A qualitative research design based in phenomenology and arts-based methods grounded in anti-oppressive research were used. Two semistructured interviews and 1 week of embodied observation and journaling were part of data collection. Themes …

Early Integration Of Palliative Care With Curative Oncology Treatment For Patients With Advanced Cancer: Implications For Clinical Nursing Practice, Rhea Rughani

Honors Projects

Palliative care, though clinically established to improve health-related quality of life measures for patients with advanced illness, remains underutilized and largely limited to end of life care. This project aims to inform oncology nursing practice through the analysis of literature supporting the early integration of palliative care with standard curative oncology treatment for patients with clinically advanced cancer. Informed by relevant research, clinical practice guidelines, and improved specialty palliative care training, oncology nurses and nurse practitioners are ideally situated to advocate for and initiate early palliative care integration, to holistically improve the standard approach to complex cancer care.

Not Just The Flu: The Impacts Of Asiaflucap Influenza Policy Recommendations On Southeast Asia During The Sars-Cov-2 Pandemic, Rebekah Huber

Honors Projects

During 2008 to 2011, a multi-year influenza pandemic study (ASIAFLUCAP) took place in six Southeast Asian countries: Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Cambodia, and Laos, to analyze their healthcare system capacities and determine appropriate policy recommendations in order that they might be better equipped for future influenza pandemics. This research expands upon that project to see if the countries that implemented higher numbers of ASIAFLUCAP policy recommendations prior to or in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic fared better than those countries which did implemented fewer recommendations. It finds that results are mixed across the sample, with no clear association between a country’s adoption …

A Oneness Study Story: The Experiences Of Elders And Staff In Leading Change For The Inclusion Of Women In Public Worship Roles, Shannon Clarkson Rains, Jennifer M. Dabbs, Kaley D. Ihfe

Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry

In 2019, the elders at the historic Broadway Church of Christ in Lubbock, Texas, announced to the congregation that women would have the opportunity to take public roles in worship services. The decision marked a major shift from traditional scriptural interpretations held by many independent Churches of Christ which required active roles in worship to be performed by men. This study seeks to document the experiences of the leadership at Broadway Church of Christ during this significant transition. The elders who made the decision and staff members who enacted the new policy were asked to complete a qualitative survey in …

Interprofessional Collaboration With Occupational Therapy Assistant And Physical Therapist Assistant Students Through A Simulated Academic Setting, Brooke Gentry, Samantha Harris, Cindy Hayden, Allen Keener

International Journal of Health Sciences Education

Background: There is a direct emphasis on interprofessional learning and interprofessional education (IPE) at the accreditation and national level (IPE, 2016). There are, however, no studies on the effectiveness in the delivery of interprofessional collaboration in the academic setting, specific to occupational therapy assistant students. Therefore, the following research has been developed to address this area of need in occupational therapy assistant education.

Methods: This research was conducted in the academic setting, through a simulated lab-based case with occupational therapy assistant and physical therapist assistant students as the participants. The perceived confidence and communication were measured through a pre …

Development And Evaluation Of An Interprofessional Education Course On Integrated Health Care For Nutrition, Public Health, School Counseling, And Social Work Graduate Students, Nadine Bean, Patricia Davidson, Cheryl Neale-Mcfall

International Journal of Health Sciences Education

Interprofessional education (IPE) is essential for enhancing students’ critical thinking skills and ability to integrate other professionals’ knowledge to ensure mutual respect and shared values for patient-centered care. The needs of medically underserved populations (MUPs) to receive behavioral health and nutritional care integrated with primary care services are significant. This research highlights the data outcomes from six offerings of a graduate IPE course on integrated health care. Funding from a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Behavioral Health Workforce and Education Training (BHWET) grant provided stipends for graduate social work and school counseling students in their final year of field …

The Community Health Worker: Improving Prenatal Health In Rural And Minority Populations, Deirdre A. Martinez

DNP Qualifying Manuscripts

The United States continues to have an unacceptably high rate of preventable deaths among pregnant and new mothers—the highest rate among developed countries. Pregnancy outcomes are especially poor in minority, rural, and medically-underserved populations, with lack of access to healthcare being identified as a primary factor in poor pregnancy outcomes and pregnancy-related deaths. It is imperative that action be taken to reverse this disturbing trend. Introduction of the Community Health Worker (CHW) into the multidisciplinary healthcare team is a solution that results in increased access to healthcare, along with many other positive health outcomes, and is one way in which …

Parental Alienation In Family Court: Attacking Expert Testimony, John E.B. Myers, Jean Mercer

Child and Family Law Journal

In child custody litigation, when a parent raises the possibility of child abuse, the accused parent may respond that the parent wo has raised the possibility of abuse is alienating the child in an effort to gain an unfair advantage in court. The parent accused of abuse may offer expert testimony on parental alienation. A voluminous and contentious social science literature exists on parental alienation. Family law attorneys often lack ready access to social science literature. The purpose of this article is to give family law attorneys information from the parental alienation literature that can be used to cross-examine experts …

The Effects Of Mindful Meditation Skills-Training For Healthcare Providers On Patient Satisfaction, Gaia Mohr-Tonachini

Yale School of Medicine Physician Associate Program Theses

Mindfulness-based interventions have become an increasingly popular and accepted approach to reducing burnout, depression, anxiety, and stress among healthcare professionals. However, the effects of how a mindfulness-based intervention might impact a clinician’s patient care and patient-provider relationship are not known. In this study, we aim to discover if providing healthcare professionals with a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program will improve their patient-provider relationship as indicated by a statistically significant change in Press Ganey patient satisfaction scores. Providers recruited from Yale Health will be randomized into an intervention group or wait-list control group. Mean patient satisfaction scores will be analyzed for each …

Prevalence Of Postpartum Depression In Occupied Palestine, Amneh Amro

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

In a world where everything has been modernized and progressively accepted, has modern medicine kept up? With a growing population, is the accessibility to healthcare service meeting the demand and without bias? More importantly, has the growing population broken down the stigmas associated with medical conditions, like postpartum depression? There has been a notable disparity in mental health treatment worldwide, and even more so in Palestine and other third world countries of similar nature.

Psychosocial Distress Screening For Patients With Cancer: A Value-Based Approach To The Integration And Delivery Of Holistic Care, Candy Cheung

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background: Patients with cancer (PWC) have a high prevalence of experiencing psychosocial distress as they bear the burden of the disease. Emphasis is needed on psychosocial care, as the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacts mental health. Psychosocial distress screening is considered a standard practice by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), which recommends using the validated Distress Thermometer (DT) as a screening tool.

Local Problem: The DNP project ambulatory infusion clinic (AIC) site does not have a standardized distress screening tool for staff. There was a lack of awareness of an existing non-validated distress screening and little to no intervention or …

Save The Children® Community Health Worker Program - Prenatal Care, Deirdre A. Martinez

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

The United States continues to have an unacceptably high rate of preventable deaths among pregnant and new mothers—the highest rate among developed countries. Pregnancy outcomes are especially poor in minority, rural, and medically-underserved populations, with lack of access to healthcare being identified as a primary factor in poor pregnancy outcomes and pregnancy-related deaths. It is imperative that action be taken to reverse this disturbing trend. Introduction of the Community Health Worker (CHW) into the multidisciplinary healthcare team is a solution that results in increased access to healthcare, along with many other positive health outcomes, and is one way in which …