Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Qualitative Assessments Used In Art Therapy Programs With Cancer Patients In A Medical Settings, Melissa Garcia

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This document reviews qualitative assessments used to explore the impact on art therapy interventions with patients in cancer treatment. The study explored the use of qualitative assessment in evaluating patient perspective on receiving art therapy adjunctly with cancer treatment. In addition, the research aimed to determine if art therapy interventions are perceived as effective in helping cancer patients reduce stress, cope, improve quality of life, express emotions, and reduce cancer-related symptoms during and after cancer treatment through qualitative assessment. Approximately 300 cancer patient experiences were reviewed through surveying qualitative studies that explored the effects of art making in cancer treatment …

A Heuristic Exploration Of White Lesbian Identity And Cultural Humility Through Art Therapy, Jennifer Phelps

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

In this heuristic exploration, data was collected through in vivo reflections using the cultural humility model. The researcher used art making, journaling, and a process of indwelling to collect data exploring the relationship between multiple identities and cultural humility. Through this exploration, four main themes emerged. These themes were explored in a final creative synthesis art process. This research serves as a starting point for developing a culturally humble stance as an art therapy trainee. In addition, this exploration highlights the way that art making can enhance the heuristic research experience by deepening the reflection and pulling out themes not …

The Experience Of Empathy Within Law Enforcement: An Art Exploration, Brianne Timmons, Isabella Williams

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

Empathy within law enforcement has not been examined in the art therapy literature. This qualitative study provides insight into how empathy is perceived and experienced by retired law enforcement officers in San Diego, CA. Fourteen participants responded to a brief questionnaire, created an art piece and a written response about how empathy is experienced within law enforcement. The results illuminated common themes within the art and written responses including interactions, witnessing of a traumatic situation, intersection of roles within law enforcement, understanding of feelings, and communication. Future research in this area is recommended to also include current officers as well …

Effects Of Art Therapy On Dissociation Related To A Veteran’S Experience With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Camacho Ronald

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This paper depicts a U.S. veteran and graduate student’s experience using meditation, artmaking, and journaling to target the effects of trauma and its symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and dissociation. This is a self-study utilizing art as the main method for communication and knowing. The data was gathered by using a combination of Pat Allen’s Open Studio Process and elements of the Art Therapy Trauma Protocol using bilateral artmaking in a five-session process conducted in a local art studio in San Diego. The meditation was conducted as a contemplative practice with attention and intention focusing on traumatic experiences. Fragmented memories …

Creating The Therapeutic Environment: An Exploration Of Art Therapy And Sexuality, Allison Marx, Lia Verzatt

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This research explored how art therapists create a safe and inviting environment for clients to discuss topics related to sex and sexuality in therapy. Our research consisted of three main questions: How do art therapists use art therapy techniques, materials, and directives to create a therapeutic environment in which clients can open up about their sexuality? How comfortable and/or experienced are therapists regarding discussion of topics related to sex and sexuality with clients in therapy sessions? What barriers are there to discussing sexuality in therapy, and how does art help overcome those barriers? Our research subjects were practicing art therapists …

Art As Meaning Making, Zoe Brockway, Tim Cunningham, Lucia Hye Yoon Joo, Jessica Pedroza, Michelle Plotkin

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This project examines the meaning-making of art through multiple disciplinary lenses: Art Therapy, Art History, Studio Art, Art Education and Anthropology. Disciplines were selected for their inherent ability to enhance an understanding of meaning-making through the art making process and art product. An arts-based methodology was utilized in conjunction with the Outliers and American Vanguard Art exhibition at The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), which featured a juxtaposition of formally trained and self-taught artists. Each of the five researchers selected a piece of art included in the exhibition, rendered the piece, documented the rendering process, and viewed each …

Art Therapy Based Curriculums With Patients Who Have Or Had Cancer, Gabriela Espinoza

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

Patients who have/had cancer are often left with emotional distress, as well as, anxiety, and depression amongst other effects. Art therapy based curriculums have been utilized with patients that have/had cancer with promising results of decreasing emotional distress and other effects. Five different art therapy based curriculums are explored through archival research approach. Through this approach, information is collected to explore five research questions that are presented to understand how these art therapy-based curriculums can help patients who have/had cancer. These research questions explore the type of interventions being utilized in the curriculum when the curriculum is being implemented in …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Quantitative Assessments In Art Therapy Research With Patients With Cancer In A Medical Setting, Jill Levenberg

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This paper uses a qualitative approach to explore quantitative assessment tools and their use in art therapy research with patients with cancer. An archival method was used to gather articles on cancer research which were compiled from peer-reviewed journal articles available online. The author used a systematic analysis to select articles that met the specific research criteria of working with cancer patients in a medical setting, included the implementation of art therapy, and the administration of a pre- and post-test. Twenty-two quantitative assessments fit these criteria. Further exploration was conducted on the five most common assessment tools. These five assessments …

Art Therapists' Work With Textiles, Sarah Potter

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This research project aims to explore how art therapists use textiles in clinical practice and personal artmaking and to learn about the perceived benefits and challenges of this type of work. The study utilizes a Qualtrics survey, with 70 participants, and a focus group methodology, with 4 art therapists. Through the analysis of the participants’ conversations, artwork, and survey information, emergent themes were identified related to examining biases of gender identity, challenges related to considerations of time, the repetitive and slow nature that are particular mindful qualities of textile making, potentially heightened benefits of textile work with children and adolescents, …

The Sensory And Haptic Nature Of Art Therapy Materials With Young Children Ages 0-5yrs Old Of Complex Trauma, Sarah Duncan

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This survey study with an art response aims to further understand how the sensory and haptic nature of art therapy materials can aid in healing within the therapeutic process. Specifically, it will explore young children, ages 0-5yrs old, of complex trauma and how they respond to art materials within the therapeutic process. Surveys were distributed to mental health therapists working with the 0-5 year old population in order to gather baseline information about how young children who have experienced trauma, respond to methods of interventions, including art materials. Through analysis of the participants’ survey responses and artwork, emergent themes revealed …

Arts-Based Assessments And Projective Tests: An Interpretation Of Self, Hannah Bailey, Noelle M. Giacona, Angel Yang

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This research seeks to understand the relationship between arts-based assessments and perception of self through exploration of participants’ interpretations of their own animal drawings. Subjects’ experiences with projective tests, personality assessments and tools, and art assessments were also examined for contextual understanding and comparison. To conduct this mixed methods pilot study, a survey was administered to alumni of the Loyola Marymount University Marital and Family Therapy Department. The findings suggest evidence of self- projection within arts-based assessment interpretation by way of metaphor, and highlight the potential for interpretation bias in therapeutic assessment, both in administration and perception. This pilot study …

Art Therapy And Art History Theories, An Inquiry, Hannah L. Masters

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This research uses critical theory inquiry with interviews and arts-based research to explore biases about art making in clinical art therapy practice. The literature review establishes an historical link between theoretical tenets in fields of art therapy and art history. Participants are chosen from experts in the fields of art therapy and art history. Interviews explore what art making means to each participant, utilizing both verbal and arts-based processing. The data is condensed through coding and arts-based reflection, and seven emergent themes are identified. The themes are checked with the participants for accuracy. The findings of the paper integrate the …

The Fear Of Aging And The Self: A Heuristicaly Influenced Study, Leia R. Steingart

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This research paper is an art-based heuristic influenced study on the fear of aging and the self using an art-based modality of exploration. The researcher sought to study three questions. First, to explore the relationship between aging, beauty, youth, and social pressures. Second, to explore the fears related to aging, (losing appearances, finance, health, and death). Thirdly, to considering the implications of findings to the clinical realm. The art based methodology offered a form of investigation which, informed by heuristic steps of inquiry, augmented both personal meaning and growth. Data consisted of art made over a three-month period as well …

Examining Relational Dynamics In Couples Through An Art-Making Experience: A Replication Study, Kuangheng Hwang, Anna Mcnerney, Grace Palenik, Kathleen Scheppe

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research looked at the relational dynamics and attachment styles of research participants through individual and dyadic art-making tasks. This research is a replication study of Snir & Wiseman’s (2010) research on Attachment in Romantic Couples and Perceptions of a Joint Drawing Session. In this particular research, three couples completed a demographic questionnaire, the ECR-S, the DAS, an individual art-making task, and a joint nonverbal drawing task with their partner, followed by a verbal reflection facilitated by researchers. Researchers found patterns suggesting attachment style may be correlated with an individual’s cultural background, relationship satisfaction, past relationship experience, and the …

A Qualitative Study Of Adult Perspectives Of Loyola Marymount’S Summer Arts Workshop, Colleen Stafford

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This research is a qualitative exploration of the impacts of Loyola Marymount’s Summer Arts Workshop from the perspective of the youth participant’s teachers and caregivers. The intention of this research was to compare findings in the literature of similar youth arts programs to LMU’s through examination of a previously unexplored perspective. Data was collected through an arts based focus group as well as paper-pencil questionnaires including both Likert scale and open ended questions. Themes emerged through thorough analysis of all data collected and presented both themes of specific program impacts and opportunities for future program improvements. The findings of this …

Camp Suzanne: A Qualitative Case Study On Attachment Theory And Longevity Considerations For An Art Therapeutic Program For Incarcerated Mothers And Their Children, Noelle Palm, Kaylee Falcon

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative study of the experiences and observations of 4 art therapists and 2 program directors who facilitated Camp Suzanne, a week-long art-based therapeutic program for incarcerated mothers and their children in a federal prison in California. Research on psychotherapy, art therapy, and family therapy in prison environments, with a focus on parent-child dyads, Attachment Theory, and various techniques for creating sustainable therapy with separated family units, including tele-mental health and evidence-based military protocols, informed the interviews. The research participants were interviewed individually and created art regarding the subjects of Attachment Theory with incarcerated-mother-child dyads and longevity considerations for the …

Medical Art Therapy, Hope Kinney, Elizabeth Mueller

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This research explores the experiences and practices of Medical Art Therapists; specifically, how working with clients in a medical setting, often as a part of a multidisciplinary team, impacts the work of an Art Therapist. Researchers reviewed the general literature regarding children and adults’ experiences of hospitalization and utilization of psychosocial services. Medical Art Therapy literature is reviewed next, emphasizing work with children, families, and adults. Informed by the literature, researchers invited Medical Art Therapists to participate in a focus group and/or follow-up survey. Researchers conducted a focus group in which participants discussed their experiences and created response art. A …

An Exploration Of Art Therapy And Attunement In Treating Families With Dcfs Involvement, Amanda Gonzalez

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research aimed to explore how art therapy may enhance attunement when working with families who have involvement with Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). The study utilized a focus group methodology to examine the experience of two art therapists with backgrounds in treating families involved with DCFS. Through the analysis of the participants’ discussion, artwork and reflections, several subsequent emergent themes were revealed. These themes exposed various barriers within the system that may complicate the therapeutic relationship, as well as qualities within the art process, which act as an equalizer and source of containment. These themes illuminated …

An Exploration Of Trauma Markers In The Artwork Of Serial Killers, Kiran M. Haynes

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This research is a qualitative art-based study exploring trauma markers found in the artwork of serial killers through the participation of licensed art therapists trained in the identification and treatment of trauma. The literature review covers a broad range of variables that influence the development of mass murderers, and how art therapy may be useful in working with serial killer populations. The study offers a unique, non-verbal exploration of the trauma experienced by serial killers through the art therapy lens. The three participants provided invaluable data through their responses to a questionnaire and creation of response art that demonstrates evidence …

Baaamm, Angela R. Miller, Alice Mary Thomas, Melissa Rivera, Brooke A. Pfaff, Ana Zuanic, Monica Esquivel

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

BAAAMM was born in April 2016, when a group of six creative researcher-artists came together to investigate cultural identity through art making. Through searching, reaching, and wrestling, the group developed creative experiential processes by which to discover and communicate cultural identity through art and language. Over a few weeks, the creative researcher-artists generated a body of work expressing their unique cultural identities and felt responses to one another. This diverse collaborative wants to share their work to stimulate others to enter the realm of creativity, vulnerability, and receptivity to understand themselves better.

BAAAMM is an exploratory cultural happening exhibiting individual …

Intercepting The Intergenerational Trauma Of Mass Incarceration Through Art-Based Parent Programs, Ana Ruth Yela Castillo

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This study discusses the intergenerational impact of mass incarceration on families. The general literature repeatedly described the negative effects of mass incarceration among children who have an incarcerated parent by pointing to the difficulty of educational attainment, social exclusion, stigma, substance abuse, and the exacerbation of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and antisocial behavior (Kjellstrand & Eddy, 2011; Miller & Barnes, 2015; Turney, 2014). Unfortunately, most incarcerated individuals are parents and most incarcerated women are mothers (Scudder, A., et al., 2014, and Miller, et al., 2014). Through the use of art, service providers (artists, clinicians, etc.) that facilitate …

The Potential Of Refugee Art To Inspire Empathy And Social Action, Zoé Cavnar-Lewandowski, Kelsey Gavin

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This research seeks to utilize an art experiential to explore the potential of art and art making as a means to stimulate empathy towards refugee populations. Researchers attempt to show how art can evoke empathy and inspire social action by communicating the experiences of marginalized communities, specifically Syrian refugees. This research follows a qualitative approach utilizing appropriate quantitative methodologies for data analysis. The research design includes experiential art based focus groups, implementation of guided relational viewing (Potash & Ho, 2011), surveys, response art, and verbal discussion. The data analysis observes for common themes among the three parts of the experiential, …

Assessing Couples’ Relationships Through Art Making: A Replication Study, Courtney Combe, Spencer Harden

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This research examined the usefulness of art therapy techniques in the assessment of attachment in couples treatment. This case illustration consisted of one couple who were invited to complete four questionnaires, participate in individual and joint art making tasks. The participants also engaged in conversation and discussion about their art and their experience throughout the art making process. The data was then analyzed and categorized into three emerging themes: (1) Relational dynamic between participants (2) Relationship and response to the art, and (3) Integration of shared and personal experiences. Through the discussion of themes, researchers found that art techniques, specifically …

Exploring The Long-Term Effects Of Domestic Violence In Art Therapy Treatment, Ekaterini Angelis

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study explores the long-term effects of domestic violence through the lens of art therapy treatment. The study is based on a twelve-week long art therapy treatment group for women who have experienced domestic violence. The study includes a literature review and a qualitative analysis of the participants’ artwork and details of their experiences of domestic violence related trauma. The research focuses on two participants and utilizes textual and visual analysis to identify four emergent themes: Family and identity, hope in moving forward, support and connection, and freedom. The findings discuss the value of art therapy in revealing …

An Exploration Of Creative Arts Therapies In Pediatric Hospitals, Jacqueline Marie Carlson, Hilda Mercedes Galan

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This research paper explores the use of creative arts therapies with children and families in a pediatric hospital setting as experienced by the therapists who provide these services. The research investigates art therapy, music therapy and dance/movement therapy at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), with an in depth consideration of the role of art therapy services in this setting. The researchers reviewed general literature regarding hospitalization, specifically its effects on children and families, availability and role of psychosocial services and the intensive care units (ICU). Literature discussing creative arts therapies (art therapy, music therapy and dance/movement therapy) was also reviewed, …

Exploration Of The Process Of An Altered Book Project With Women Cancer Survivors, Jillian E. Luz

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This research examines the experience of a long-term creative arts project within a women’s cancer support group. Specifically, the research explores the effects of a creative arts project on quality of life. Literature describing cancer support groups has been reviewed, as well as literature published which specifically studied the effects of art therapy with those living with from medical illnesses including, but not limited to, cancer. Qualitative data was gathered through surveys, interviews, and by analysis of the creative art projects. Group participants were offered the directive to create an altered book in which to express their cancer journey. The …

Adolescent Mentors And The Latino Community, Arazeli L. Melendez

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This research explores mentorship as it developed through the lived experience of adolescents who participated in a community arts outreach program, for a lower SES Latino population. The purpose is to identify different roles of mentorships and relationships that contribute to the program. The literature review looked specifically into adolescents as mentors, understanding the developmental impact on mentees, such as peer relationships and natural mentors focusing on the Latino culture. The art therapy literature looked at art therapy and the affects on the Latino culture as well as art therapy process in community-based programs. Utilizing qualitative methodology the researcher conducted …

Exploring Sexuality Through Art Making, Martha C. Cowley, Jane Gallop, Amanda Hale Feinberg

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This research examined the usefulness of art making in exploring sexuality. Specifically, women participating in partners of sex addicts groups and the LGBTQ online community were invited to take an online survey, exploring both visually and verbally discuss how they view their sexuality and how they think others view their sexuality. The data was then analyzed within and between categories to produce three overarching themes: (1) Expressing sexuality: the tension between the self and others (2) The usefulness of art making to explore sexuality, and (3) Limitations and challenges of the study. Through the discussion of the themes, researchers found …

Art Therapy And Neuroscience: A Model For Wellness, Ceccily J. Bednash

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This research aimed to illuminate the connections between art therapy and neuroscience by using qualitative research methods. Two art therapists and a psychologist with neuroscience backgrounds were interviewed. Analyzing artwork made by the researcher and results of the interviews allowed for themes to emerge: connection, perspective, desire for understanding and being trapped in time. The researcher’s further inquiry into these emergent themes allowed for the idea of the creative spirit to present itself as a basic human need which has existed since the beginning of time. Using this newfound perspective the researcher has embraced the importance of creating an art …

The Role Of The Art Therapist: A Multi-Faceted Approach, Lauren E. Peña

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This research explores the role of the art therapist in a nonclinical setting. The research dissects the experiences of nine art therapists who participated in an artist residency that was informed by art therapy but was not clinically based. The spectrum of literature reviewed focused on the professional identity of art therapists and therapists as well as social action art therapy and working with Native American cultures. A qualitative approach was utilized through the conduction of a focus group along with four individual interviews, which were both enhanced by a parallel art making process. Analysis of the data resulted in …