Art Therapy Commons^™

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 …