Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Mindfulness Meditation And Art Making: Implications For Art Therapy, Susan Kathleen Mahl

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Meditation is being integrated into various fields to aid with healing, especially mindfulness meditation as it focuses on total awareness of the present. This thesis describes a self study that used a heuristic methodology to investigate the effects of mindfulness meditation on this researcher. I progressed through the six phases of heuristic research in a period seven weeks. At the beginning of the study, mindfulness meditation was practiced twice a week for a time period of 30 minutes to one hour for three weeks, followed by art making and reflections. Next, I practiced mindfulness meditation three times a week for …

Using Art Therapy To Increase Self-Efficacy Beliefs Of Homeless Mothers Living In A Shelter, Mandi Elizabeth Wines

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Literature reveals that homelessness is inherently a situation where desired outcomes are less likely than unfavorable outcomes, and, as such, the concepts of learned hopelessness, disempowerment, and low self-efficacy are especially relevant. Self-efficacy has been found to affect one’s motivation, performance, coping, self-esteem, emotional arousal, and behavior. Homeless women who possess a stronger sense of self-efficacy are more likely to actively engage in employment and housing searches and spend less time in temporary shelters than those with low self-efficacy.

Although aspects of this problem have been studied no specific intervention models have proven effective in increasing homeless women’s self-efficacy. Literature …

Attachment Styles And Children In Foster Care: A Study Involving Art Therapy Evaluation, Abigail Johnson

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This case study explored the attachment style and perceptions of family, from the perspective of children in the foster care system, through the use of art therapy evaluative methods. The participants for this study included two half-sisters in the second and fourth grades. The Art Therapy-Projective Imagery Assessment (AT-PIA) was adapted and used to construct a well-rounded understanding of each client. Within the adapted AT-PIA, the Human Figure Drawing and the Bird’s Nest Drawing were evaluated using rating schemes. A dyad session was held with the two participants, where a Safe Place Sculpture was created. Review of the artwork revealed …

The Application Of Art Therapy Techniques To The Resolution Of Conflict, Maggie Hart

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Conflict is present in innumerable forms in current society. As a result, a variety of methods of conflict resolution exist, both constructive and destructive. The prevalence of conflict in our everyday lives warrants further study about improved means of resolution. Art therapy theory and techniques have much to offer the process of conflict resolution. Currently, a body of research about using art to explore past or future conflicts does exist. However, this literature lacks a thorough examination of using art in order to process and resolve current conflicts, involving all parties involved in the conflict.

The current study explores the …

Life Drawing With Gross Anatomy Medical Students And Implications For Art Therapy, Elliott Addesso

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

It is important to incorporate humanities training into medical education in order to enhance the potential for humane and ethical interactions among physicians. In this study, a life drawing studio course was led by an art therapy graduate student to explore the effects of a life drawing course on medical students concurrently enrolled in Gross Anatomy. Based on students’ perceptions of their experience in the life drawing class, theoretical implications for the practice of art therapy in studio applications were discussed.

Five medical students participated in the course on a voluntary, non-credit basis. The course consisted of seven meetings and …

An Art Therapy Approach To Addressing Burnout Prevention Among Pediatric Healthcare Providers, Hoilam Tang

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to develop an art therapy based burnout prevention program for pediatric healthcare providers who work directly with chronically and/or terminally ill children. This program will run for a period of four months. Eight sessions were designed to implement self-care skills, promote a supportive working environment and professional boundaries, address grief and loss, and process work-related stress and distress in order to reduce burnout and compassion fatigue among pediatric healthcare providers. This program was designed for 5 to 7 healthcare providers who have similar experiences and work duties. This program will run as a peer …

Exploring American Indian Adolescents’ Needs Through A Community-Driven Study, Emily Gordon Basto

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The current higher rates of substance use and abuse for Native American adolescents compared to non-Natives is an issue that requires attention. There are a variety of risk factors that lead to this current situation, including discrimination and acculturation pressures. Past treatment options have been limited with American Indians and have not incorporated community involvement. Art therapy has been utilized in substance abuse programs and with American Indian populations; however, art therapy has been limited in taking a community-driven approach. As art therapy and community involvement are seen as culturally relevant, together they may serve as a model for assessing …

The Chakra Energy System And Art Therapy: A Heuristic Study, Linda Scalise

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The chakra system, an Eastern philosophy relating to an individual’s health, energy, and consciousness, has been integrated into the healing practices of psychology, meditation, yoga, and alternative medicine. Dale (2005), Judith (1996), and Myss (1996) described the chakra energy system as focal points embedded within the human energy system that regulate all components of the self. Researchers in complementary therapies and energy medicine have long been interested in how the integration of this system affects the progression of disease, human behavior, and emotional disturbances. However, although rich in symbolism and metaphor, no literature has been found demonstrating the use of …

The Effects Of Coloring Books On Children’S Drawings: Implications For Art Therapy, Sarah Elizabeth Garrison

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This study aimed to test the effects of coloring books on children’s drawings and relate the findings to art therapy practice. A review of the relevant literature revealed a widely accepted theory of drawing development, in which all individuals pass through a series of sequential stages of drawing. These stages varied slightly from author to author, but were all similar to the originally developed stages of drawing development first outlined by Viktor Lowenfeld (Lowenfeld & Brittain, 1987).

In art therapy, these stages are applied to the drawings of children to assess developmental level. Art is also utilized in art therapy …

Reflective Visual Journaling During Art Therapy And Counseling Internships, Sarah P. Deaver

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Visual journaling is thought to promote students' critical reflection upon their previous learning, their current experiences, and their ongoing professional growth. Research supports the value of written journals as educational tools that encourage reflection, but the potential for visual journaling to facilitate reflection has not been explored through systematic inquiry until now.

This qualitative multiple case study explored four art therapy students' and four counseling students' responses to visual journaling during their internships. They maintained their journals throughout one 15-week academic semester, and were interviewed four times over the course of the study. Data consisted of transcribed interviews and photographs …

The Effects Of Visual Media On Participants' Boundary Expectations, Joy P. Brock

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine participants' expectations of psychotherapeutic boundaries and the influence of the media in the creation of these expectations. Four hundred forty seven Old Dominion undergraduates completed an online survey consisting of five separate scales: Exposure to Cine therapy Scale, Exposure to Cinematic Boundary Infringements Scale, Boundary Expectation Scale, Past Therapy Experiences Scale, and Demographic Questionnaire. Bivariate correlations were calculated and exposure to cine therapy was found to be significantly, positively related to participants' perceptions of the frequency of various boundary infringements. A principle components analysis was also computed to examine the underlying structure …

Culture And The Social Context Of Health Inequalities, Carol Leler Mansyur, Benjamin C. Amick Iii, Luisa Franzini, Robert E. Roberts

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

There is a great deal of recent interest and debate concerning the linkages between inequality and health cross-nationally. The U.S. National Institutes of Health recommended in 2001 that any new research on health disparities should include social and cultural systems as units of analysis. Nevertheless, many public health interventions and policies continue to decontextualize risk factors from the social environment. Exposures to social and health inequalities probably vary as a consequence of different cultural contexts. To identify the processes that cause social and health inequalities, it is important to understand culture's influence. Navarro's research on political institutions and inequality illustrates …

Behavioral Couple Therapy: Partner-Involved Treatment For Substance-Abusing Women, William Fals-Stewart, Wendy K.K. Lam, Michelle L. Kelley

Psychology Faculty Publications

Among the various psychosocial interventions presently available to treat alcohol and drug abuse, it could be argued that partner-involved treatments are the most broadly efficacious. There is not only substantial empirical support for the use of couple-based treatments in terms of improvements in primary targeted outcomes, such as substance use and relationship adjustment, but also in other areas that are of clear public health significance, including intimate partner violence (IPV), children's adjustment, and cost-benefit ratio and cost-effectiveness. During the last few decades, programmatic research on the application of partner-involved therapies for substance abuse has been among the most active and …

Alchoholism And Intimate Partner Violence: Effects On Children's Psychosocial Adjustment, Keith Klostermann, Michelle L. Kelley

Psychology Faculty Publications

It is widely recognized that alcoholism and relationship violence often have serious consequences for adults; however, children living with alcoholic parents are susceptible to the deleterious familial environments these caregivers frequently create. Given the prevalence of IPV among patients entering substance abuse treatment, coupled with the negative familial consequences associated with these types of behavior, this review explores what have been, to this point, two divergent lines of research: (a) the effects of parental alcoholism on children, and (b) the effects of children's exposure to intimate partner violence. In this article, the interrelationship between alcoholism and IPV is examined, with …

Traumatic Stress As A Predictor Of Suicidality, Sherry Malana Todd

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Suicide is a deliberate act of annihilation against one's self due to a crisis of problem solving. Far too many youth are dying by their own hands resulting in suicide being the third leading cause of death for 10-19 year olds (CDC, 2005). Suicide is particularly problematic for adolescents due to the impulsivity inherent in adolescent development. Since 1980, the national suicide rate of African American youth has increased by 114 percent (CDC). Suicidality has been positively correlated with depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; Kessler et al., 1999). Suicidality is more prevalent when a person experiences a tragic or …

Art Made By Native American Women With Breast Cancer, Hanni Woelk

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This study sought to find recurrent themes in artwork made by Native American women with breast cancer. The hypothesis of this analysis stated that a theme concerning body image would emerge. Subjects were found through the “Healing Pathways: Art for Survivors” workshop in which art therapy tasks were given to Native American cancer survivors. Analysis of the artwork occurred using situational content analysis from a grounded theory perspective. Results found many recurrent themes in the participant’s artwork, but did not support the hypothesis that body image was a concern. Themes concerning the self, anxiety, religion, and the body were found …

Guidelines For Group Art Therapy Videos: Connecting Group Process With Production, Sarah D. E. Newton

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Group art therapy professionals, educators, and students have limited resources available to enhance learning and professional practice. Video productions and literature about group art therapy have seemingly decreased over the past 10 years. Due to the limited number of group art therapy videos, few resources exist for training purposes. This study employed an exploratory mixed-method design with a preliminary qualitative analysis of currently available group psychotherapy and group art therapy videos and follow-up quantitative analysis of a needs assessment from group art therapy educators. It was hypothesized that the survey results will demonstrate a generalized dissatisfaction among art therapy educators …

Integrating Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy Into Art Therapy: Depression Treatment In Juvenile Justice Settings, Elizabeth Illig

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This single case mixed methods research study integrated Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) into art therapy in the treatment of incarcerated adolescents experiencing a depressed mood. The review of the literature focused on depression treatment as approached by REBT practitioners and art therapists, and revealed that an integration of these approaches had not been previously attempted. Before the study commenced the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale-2 was administered to both participants. Then individual REBT-enhanced art therapy sessions were conducted. After the conclusion of these sessions the RADS-2 was re-administered, an exit interview conducted, and a formal analysis of the artwork was …

An Exploration Of The Effects Of An Arm Movement Intervention Upon Artwork: Implications For Art Therapy, Alicia K. Hurst

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Why have pioneers of art therapy and modern art therapists discussed the importance of body movement in art therapy and yet not one study has been conducted to test its benefits? How can an art therapist overlook body movement in an art therapy session when one must move in order to create art? Observing the need for more research in this area, this study explored how body movement may affect art using one of Florence Cane’s (1951/1983) arm exercises and the scribble technique.

Four adult volunteers were individually videotaped while completing the scribble technique, then the arm exercise, and then …

A Content Analysis Of Acculturating Hispanics’ Artwork: Implications For Art Therapy, Sarah Bufogle

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Research in art therapy and other mental health fields on Hispanics is limited. In an attempt to further understand Hispanics and the impact of the acculturation process, this study explores similarities and/or differences between the content of drawings of Hispanics who have lived in the United States for 7 years or less and non-Hispanics. Participants consisted of 9 Hispanics and 11 non-Hispanics. A content analysis of the Free Choice Drawing was utilized to determine graphic differences between drawings of both groups. It was hypothesized that there might be considerable visual differences between drawings by acculturating Hispanics and by non-Hispanics.

The …

Raising Girls’ Self-Esteem: An Art Therapy Approach Using Photography, Alison Mcallister

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

American girls’ self-esteem plummets around age 12, negatively affecting various aspects of their lives. This group art therapy research study explored the effectiveness of the use of photography in raising girls’ self-esteem. The study included seven girls between the ages of 10 and 12 in their fifth grade year. The participants attended six group sessions over an 8 week period. The study utilized a mixed methods design and data collection came from the Coopersmith Self-Esteem inventory, taped interviews, and analysis of artwork. Comparison of Coopersmith pretest and posttest scores indicates that the majority of participants made gains in the total …

Visual Journaling: An Intervention To Influence Stress, Anxiety And Affect Levels In Medical Students, Amanda Patton

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Research has shown that medical students suffer from higher levels of stress and anxiety than the general population, increasing their risk of health problems, mental illness and suicide. This study looked at the effects of visual journaling as a possible stress reduction technique. Visual journaling combines written journaling, which has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, and artmaking, which has been shown to improve mood. Five students and five staff members attending or working at Eastern Virginia Medical School participated in the research. The study consisted of an initial session, which involved participants completing pretests of the State-Trait Anxiety …

Art Therapy With Native American Cancer Survivors: An Observation Of Nonverbal Communication Styles, Kathryn Dengler

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

There is a high morbidity rate among Native American women with breast cancer. Research suggests that traditional beliefs in addition to miscommunication within the healthcare setting may affect the treatment Natives receive. This study observed the nonverbal communication patterns of ten Native American cancer survivors participating in an art psychoeducational workshop. Mapping techniques and situational analysis were used to observe nonverbal communication patterns during the workshop. It was hypothesized that Native Americans would use nonverbal cues more readily than verbal communication.

The results of the study supported the hypothesis. Nonverbal cues were the primary means of communication throughout the workshop. …

Prostate Cancer Patients’ Physiological Responses To Coloring A Mandala Or Working A Maze Puzzle, John Daniel Lorance Jr.

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Prostate cancer presents the patient with numerous stressors including diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, possible income hardship, and social implications. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of a known stress-reducing art task on levels of stress, anxiety and immunity. Four participants diagnosed with prostate cancer were randomly assigned to either a control group that worked a maze puzzle or an experimental group that colored a pre-designed mandala. Pretest-posttest measurements included psychological and physiological indicators of stress, anxiety and immunity. In summary, coloring a pre-designed mandala enhanced immunity and significantly lowered levels of anxiety. This randomized, controlled investigation …

College Students Concern Toward Public Intoxication, Ashley N. Mason

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

A survey of college students was administered in order to better understand why students choose to either walk after consuming alcoholic beverages or drive after consuming alcoholic beverages. Students were asked to answer demographic questions along with opinion questions as well. The main variables used in this study were perceived severity of offense, perceived certainty of offense (i.e. level of concern about getting stopped), moral condemnation and punishment avoidance.

Univariate, bivariate and multivariate analyses were examined to see what characteristics have an impact on students behavior regarding public intoxication. Although significant with one or both dependent variables, perceived severity, perceived …

The Importance Of Gender And Readiness To Change In The Prediction Of Drinking And Negative Consequences Of First-Year Student Drinkers, Margot E. Ackermann

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

College drinking is widespread, and binge drinkers can experience serious consequences. The present study examined the effectiveness of two interventions, expressive writing and behavioral monitoring, as well a combined condition, in reducing drinking and negative consequences associated with drinking. Gender differences and differences in readiness to change binge drinking were also assessed. Participants (N = 97) completed a pretest, eight weekly intervention activities, and a posttest during their first semester of college. An ANOVA tested the hypothesis that individuals higher in readiness to change binge drinking participated in more of the weekly intervention activities; this hypothesis was not supported. A …

Graduate Art Therapy Experience Of Students Of Color, Keena Tarrant

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This narrative inquiry explored the perspectives of three professional art therapists of color. This study explored the past experience of being a graduate art therapy student of color on several levels. It also explored the impact of cultural competency course in relation to the experience of being a student of color. This experience is important in terms of how being an ethnic minority can affect the learning environment in relation to graduate experience of students of color and how cultural competency is taught to all students. This study explored the art recommendations of therapy professionals of color for cultural competency …

A School Art Therapy Group: Helping Eighth Grade Students Decrease Disruptive Behaviors And Increase Coping Skills Before The Transition To High School, Erin Spier

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The transition to high school can be difficult for adolescents, especially those exhibiting disruptive behaviors and poor coping skills. This study was concerned with developing conducting a group art therapy intervention that would help increase coping skills and decrease disruptive behaviors in eighth grade students preparing for the transition to high school. Two girls and four boys from a private school in southeastern Virginia participated in the study after the start of their final semester in eighth grade. The study consisted of 8 sessions conducted on alternating days, twice a week for a four-week period.

During the group art therapy …

A Group Art Therapy Intervention To Increase Self-Efficacy In Battered Women, Sheryl Marie Morrison

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Domestic violence is a problem that affects an estimated six million women every year (Berry, 1998). There are many theories that attempt to explain the phenomenon such as, learned helplessness and battered woman syndrome. It is clear that the affects of domestic violence can leave lasting damage in the survivor’s ability to cope and function. One aspect that might be hindered in battered women is self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is the degree to which one believes he or she has the ability to be successful. The Self-Efficacy Scale (SES) created by Sherer, et al. (1982) was used to assess the clients’ self-efficacy. …

A Study On The Effects Of Wheel Throwing And A Child Diagnosed With Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Jennifer Evans

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

It has been estimated that 3-7 percent of children are diagnosed with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (Barkley, 2005). Research has found many treatment options to be effective; however, the most efficacious treatment is a combination treatment of medication and cognitive/behavioral therapy. Some art therapists have discussed the treatment of ADHD; however, few studies have large enough samples and repeatable results to provide empirical support. It was hypothesized that an eight week ceramic/wheel-throwing intervention in individual art therapy sessions would help calm and focus a child diagnosed with ADHD. This study consisted of a six week, six sessions, ceramic wheel-throwing intervention …