Art Therapy Commons^™

A Study Of The Thematic Content And Formal Elements Of A Free Choice Drawing Created By Older Adults Diagnosed With Alzheimer’S Disease: A Mixed Methods Investigation, Kelly Rose Spessard

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This study used a mixed methods approach to examine the themes in the Free Choice Drawings (FCD) created by13 older adults with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The Mini-Cog was used as the instrument to identify cognitive impairment in the participants. All participants were scored as positive for cognitive impairment according to the scoring instructions for the Mini-Cog. The FCD followed the Mini-Cog. Of the 13 participants, eight attempted the FCD and five left their paper blank. The FCD was rated using a modified version of the Formal Elements Art Therapy Scale (FEATS). Scales included, Prominence of Color, Color …

Existential Art Therapy With An Elder Male Following Spousal Loss: A Clinical Case Study, Sarah Elizabeth Smith

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Spousal loss in late life is a common experience for elders, especially considering the current increase in longevity occurring throughout the population. Unfortunately, the traumatic impact of this experience is often minimized due to the societal expectation of death in old age, resulting in a lack of focus on this unique bereavement process. Throughout an elders grief process, a great deal of existential questioning often arises, not only regarding the loss of his or her spouse but also in regard to his or her own mortality due to personal end-of-life concerns. It is important for mental health professionals to not …

Combat Paper Project, William Joiner Institute For The Study Of War And Social Consequences, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

Coming home from war is enormously difficult. A new language is required to express the magnitude of war’s effects and consequences. Combat Paper transforms the uniforms of battle to paper and from this transformation comes art. Developed by veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan in San Francisco, the project has now traveled broadly across the United States and the world.

The Effects Of Art Therapy On The Self-Efficacy And Self-Concept Of A Group Of Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Sarah Peters

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This quantitative study utilized a within group, pre and posttest design to examine whether a group art therapy experience would have an effect on the self-concept and self-efficacy of group of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Six subjects took part in the study (n=3 male) and (n=3 female) ages 7 to 10. The subjects took part in eight group art therapy sessions which lasted approximately one hour each. The art tasks were designed to provide students with opportunities to gain mastery and competence. It was hypothesized that an experience in an art therapy group would …

The Bridge Drawing With Path Art-Based Assessment: Measuring Meaningful Life Pathways In Higher Education Students, Olena Darewych

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This cross-sectional study investigated the relationships among the Bridge Drawing with Path (BDP) art-based assessment and two positive psychology instruments: the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ; Steger et al., 2006) and the Adult State Hope Scale (ASHS; Snyder et al., 1996). All three assessments (BDP, MLQ and ASHS) are intended to test for an individual’s goal-related pursuits. Forty-four higher education students studying in Britain and Canada participated in the study. Results indicated that an association exists between BDP written associations and MLQ-presence of meaning sub-scores. Participants who scored high on MLQ – presence of meaning generated more sources of life …

Explorations Into Continuity: An Heuristic, Artistic Inquiry Into The Interplay Between Work As A Dance/Movement Therapist And Service Within The Bahá’Í Community, Elena M. Rezai

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

The purpose of this thesis was to explore the concept of integration between two main aspects of my life: my professional career as a dance/movement therapist on an inpatient adolescent behavioral health unit, and service guided by Bahá’í teachings in a neighborhood-based setting. Literature reviewed encompassed instances of Rudolf von Laban’s Effort elements found in the Bahá’í Writings, as well as research on the integration between the mind, body and spirit, the history of religion and mental health, and the current relationship between religion and mental health. Both artistic inquiry and heuristic methodologies were used to guide my research. Through …

The Role Of Personality In Individual Perceptions Of The Value Of Visual Journaling In Art Therapy Graduate Education, Daniel J. Koon

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This preliminary qualitative study used a mixed methods approach to explore the relationship between personality and individual perceptions regarding the value of the self-care practice of maintaining a visual journal. Twenty-two students from the Graduate Art Therapy and Counseling Program at Eastern Virginia Medical School participated in a pre-screening session, in which they completed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Form M Self-Scorable. Ten of the twenty-two participants, five introverts and five extraverts, were selected based on the results of the MBTI. Over a one-month research period, participants each completed two ten-question surveys and a face-to-face interview. Participant responses were compared …

Art Therapy From Client And Therapist Perspectives: A Mixed Methods Study, Danielle L. Jweid

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

In order to constantly improve and enhance any field, research must explore all aspects. This study explored the experience of art therapy from the clients’ perspective and how the therapist views the client experience.

The participants in this study included two client-therapist dyads that were tracking the art therapy treatment experience over the course of four to five weeks. The study involved quantitative and qualitative data collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Questionnaires were filled out by therapist and client at the end of each session for the duration of the study and then the results were quantified and presented …

Perceptions Of Art Therapy Among Medical Students, Laura A. Sibiski

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This study utilized a mixed methods survey to address the perceptions of art therapy among medical students currently enrolled at Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS). Of 530 students, 179 completed the online survey, which resulted in a 34% respondent rate. Overall, respondents indicated that they find the treatment of psychosocial factors/symptoms secondary to medical illness very important and psychiatry and psychotherapy/counseling as somewhat effective in doing so. The respondents reported a lack of knowledge regarding the field of art therapy and an overall interest in learning more about art therapy and the program specific to EVMS. Suggestions for further integration …

Depressive Symptoms And Bookmaking In Group Art Therapy With Female African American College Students, Joselyn Spence

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This mixed methods study examined the experience and effects of bookmaking in art therapy on the depressive symptoms of a 22 year-old female African American college student through a six-week art therapy intervention using bookmaking. It was hypothesized that bookmaking in art therapy would lead to a decrease of depressive symptoms. The hypothesis was supported as evidenced by a 14-point decrease on the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Additionally, the participant reported that the experience with bookmaking in art therapy was an effective tool in decreasing her depressive symptoms by giving her an outlet and a place to share her feelings.

Body Image: Indicators And Concern As Demonstrated In A Brief Art Therapy Group, Ashley Busch

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Research indicates that adolescent girls are prone to partake in pathological eating habits and internalization of the “thin ideal,” which increases their predisposition for developing a negative body image. Negative body image, in turn, increases the risk of developing an eating disorder. This study examined art therapy’s effectiveness in identifying body image concern in a group of pre-adolescent girls. Three girls participated in the single-session art therapy intervention that contained three art tasks related to body image. Two qualitative measures and one qualitative pretest/posttest measures were included to evaluate body image concern and the overall effectiveness of the intervention. Each …

The Art Therapy Technique Of ‘Life Review’: Its Impact On Existential Issues In Older Adults, Emily Victoria Willen

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

For many older adults, the aging process brings many existential and end-of-life concerns. These concerns may be related to their experiences, their self-concept, and the choices they made throughout their lives. Older adults who are able to sufficiently address these issues are less vulnerable to feelings of depression and hopelessness. The geriatric population is in need of services that will help them resolve existential issues and integrate their experiences into a cohesive sense of self.

This qualitative case study explored the effectiveness of using the art therapy technique of the life review to help an older adult resolve existential questions …

Tamziq, Scattered And Connected: A Conversation In Art By Middle Eastern And American Artists, Paul Atwood, William Joiner Center For The Study Of War And Social Consequences, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The number of Iraqi refugees resettled in the United States has grown from only 202 in 2006 to approximately 17,000 in 2009. Since 2007, 58,810 Iraqi refugees have arrived in the United States. This group now forms the largest refugee population in the state of Massachusetts. At the same time, a large number of veterans are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

This project recognizes the increasing need for dialogue and exchange with and within these communities and a further need to broaden understanding of the cultural influences on our changing communities.

Neuro-Linguistic Programming And Its Application To Art Therapy Practice, Terri-Gene Jenereaux Fowler

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Art therapy and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) both promote methods of self-discovery and exploration through sensory channels: art therapy by enhancing creative thinking and problem solving through art making product and processes, and NLP by using sensory based observation to assist in mapping out individuals' cognitive processes. Art therapy has not embraced the NLP sensory information available as have other therapeutic disciplines. The American Art Therapy Association (AATA) approved programs have not integrated NLP into their curriculums. This investigation incorporates a review of the relevant literature, including the sparse entries relating NLP to art therapy practice, followed by the results of …

Understanding Children's Art Making Preferences: Implications For Art Therapy, Amy Morrison

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This study employed a phenomenological, qualitative approach to investigate children’s art making preferences. The researcher was curious about the meaning that creating two-dimensional and three-dimensional art forms held for children. Influences and contributions to children’s art making preferences were explored. Lastly the study questioned what children’s artistic preferences mean for the field of art therapy. Theories of art therapy, artistic development, and child development informed the study. Thirteen children ages 5 to 11, four boys and nine girls participated. The researcher requested the children choose a subject and create the subject in both two and three dimensions. A range of …

Art As A Cure: Analyzing Healthcare Treatment For The Mentally Ill Through The Lens Of Art Therapy Programs In Dakar, Senegal, Sofia Porter-Castro

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Mental illness is a malady that affects roughly 2.3 million people in Senegal ("Statistics by Country” 2012), but the wide and sometimes opposing range of healing practices suggests that the attitudes surrounding mental illness are still largely contested. This is especially true in Senegal’s capital, where advances in medicine in big city hospitals are growing while ties to traditional beliefs and practices remain strong. Alternative therapies, such as art therapy, provide an opportunity for practitioners to explore different techniques for treating the mentally ill while still integrating elements of the local culture. It is precisely this integration that this paper …

Emergency Medical Technicians’ Experience With Visual Journaling: A Qualitative Study, Pamela Gandolfi

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand the experience of EMTs who incorporate the process of visual journaling each week in response to their professional responsibilities. In particular, this study aimed to understand EMTs’ perceptions of the usefulness of visual journaling and to determine possible themes from visual and written journal content.

Six participants, five male and one female, who were certified EMT-Basic (EMT-B), EMT-Intermediate (EMT-I) and Paramedics (EMT-P) volunteered to be part of this study. In addition to being an EMT, they were all also certified firefighters. All participants were aged 18 to 70 years and had met …

Examining Attachment Styles In Adult Adoptees Using The Bird’S Nest Drawing, Kim Clemens

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine adult attachment styles seen in the Bird’s Nest Drawings of adopted adults, compared to those seen in non-adopted adults. A sample of 17 participants (16 non-adopted adults and 1 adopted adult) in the age range of 21-57 completed a Bird’s Nest Drawing (BND), Bird’s Nest Drawing Story, Adult Attachment Scale Questionnaire, and a demographic questionnaire.

The BND was devised by Donna Kaiser to assess secure and insecure attachment as seen through graphic indicators in a projective drawing test. Kaiser’s February 2012 updated BND checklist is comprised of 14 hypothesized graphic indicator items, …

A Comparison Of Kinetic Family Drawings By Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder And Typically Developing Siblings, Rachel Daniels

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) on the diagnosed child’s perception of their family. Specifically, the study compared the Kinetic Family Drawings (Burns & Kaufman, 1970) created by children diagnosed with Autism and those created by typically developing children.

Eight participants between the ages of 6 and 12 were recruited, and split into two groups. One group consisted of four children (three boys and one girl) with a mean age of 6.75 and an Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis. The second group consisted of four typically developing children (three girls and one …

A Study Of Art Therapy-Based Approaches To Communication Between Physicians And Pediatric Patients, Carrie Carowan

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Miscommunication between physicians and child patients about perceived pain results in problems with diagnosis and treatment of childhood illness. This study used an art therapy-based approach to explore physician perceptions and understanding of child patients’ pain as compared to the pediatric patients’ perceptions of their own pain. Body Outline Forms (BOFs) and Magnified Pain Drawings (MPDs) (Barton, 1995) were completed by participants, and compared using a qualitative content analysis. Visual results reflected a difference in perception of pain by the physician and child participants in areas of color, size, shape, location, and movement. Verbal results collected from the physician participant …

A Phenomenological Observation Of The Reductive Printmaking Experience: Implications For Art Therapy, Nicholas Alexander

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the phenomenological experience of four students in higher education relating to the involvement in a single reductive relief printmaking session. The indirect process of reductive relief printmaking is set apart from other methods due to the multiple steps and the use of various tools during the experience. It offers a reflective distance from the process, which allows the participant time to consider the meaning of an experience as it occurs. The production of multiple images during the process likewise lessens a participant’s resistance. The printed images are composed of layers; a metaphor for life’s process. Prior …

The Impact Of Visual Art-Making On The Brain, Christopher Belkofer

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

Although advancements in neuroscience research have informed the rationale of various art therapy interventions and explanatory frameworks, almost no empirical evidence exists as to how art therapy impacts the brain. Utilizing research that supports the QEEG (quantitative electroencephalogram) as a means for measuring the impact of therapeutic interventions, the brain activity of 10 participants was recorded before and after creating a spontaneous drawing. Each participant, who had 20 minutes to create an image of their choice using oil pastels, was asked to describe their image and their process. Paired t tests (p < .05) and z scores were calculated to compare relative …

An Intergenerational Study: Mirrors As A Tool For Self-Reflection, Susan Ridley

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

Globalization and advances in technology have resulted in a loss of cultural, community, and individual identity. Having a strong sense of self can be a protective factor in resisting peer pressure and involvement in negative behaviors, and a determining factor in the formation of one’s coping skills, and resiliency to life’s challenges. This was especially important for adolescents who are negotiating the developmental growth from childhood to adulthood, and older adults who are transitioning from the independence of adulthood to the dependence of old age.

This was a qualitative intergenerational study on the process of self-reflection on identity. Mirrors have …

The Role Of Defense Mechanisms Of Israeli Society In Relationship To The Israeli–Palestinian Conflict: From “1948 Repression” To Artistic Sublimation, Keren Shechter

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

Although many researchers have examined the concept of defense mechanisms, almost none have done so from a societal and cultural point of view. The author investigated the following research questions: (1) Which defense mechanisms are used in Israeli society within the context of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict? What changes, if any, have occurred in these defenses over the years? (2) What are the reasons for the use of these defenses? What are the consequences of the use? (3) How can a transition(s) from the use of a lower-level defense mechanism(s) to a higher-level one(s) occur? What is the role of the …

Examining The Association Between Attachment And Relationship Satisfaction Through The Use Of The Couples Drawing And The Bird’S Nest Drawing, Jessica Furiness

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to determine if there is a positive statistical correlation between relationship satisfaction and attachment and whether or not these two factors can be accurately assessed through a single drawing. The proposed study will use a quantitative approach to examine the association between attachment and relationship satisfaction, as determined by scores on the Adult Attachment Scale and the Relationship Assessment Scale. A qualitative approach will be used to examine graphic elements within the Bird’s Nest Drawing, and the Couples Drawing to determine which elements are associated with relationship satisfaction, attachment, or both. A sample size …

Exploring The Use Of Visual Journaling During Art Therapy Internships: A Self Study, Mary Madison Lovett

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Reflective processes and journaling have been given great attention in the literature as effective tools for the enrichment of learning and professional growth (Boud, 2001). Self reflection in response to clinical experiences can help students can gain a deep level of meaning and insight. Visual journaling is one method of self reflection about which there is little scholarly literature. The process of visual journaling integrates self reflection and exploration through creative imagery and written reflection.

I conducted a qualitative self study which was an exploration of visual journaling as I experienced two semesters of clinical internships. During the study I …

Integrating Morita Therapy And Art Therapy: An Analysis, Ayako Sato

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study presents therapeutic interventions combining Morita Therapy with art therapy techniques. The author presents literature reviews of art therapy as well as the original Morita Therapy formulated by Shoma Morita, M.D. A new art therapy technique based on the work of Kenji Kitanishi, M.D. (2008) for outpatient treatment is also presented. A case illustration of an eleven‐year‐old Vietnamese‐American boy who presented with high anxiety and school refusal is used as an example of the effective integration of Morita Therapy with art therapy techniques formulated by the author. Even though the boy was not familiar with Morita Therapy principles, the …

Art Therapists’ Strategies For Improving Adolescent Self-Esteem: A Qualitative Study, Jennifer Lauren Barnette

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to interview art therapists who work with an adolescent population in a variety of settings, to acquire an in depth understanding of what various therapeutic approaches and art-making strategies they utilized to improve adolescents’ self-esteem. Six art therapists were interviewed. The interviews, which were transcribed, generated information about the art therapists’ theoretical orientation, how they addressed self-esteem with their clients, and what processes and materials they find to be most effective for improving such a goal. Themes were extracted from the interviews in order to acquire a further understanding of work with adolescents as …

An Art-Based Self-Study Of Immersion In Amish Culture: Implications For Art Therapists, Alison R. Hunt

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Literature reveals that cross cultural experiences can be beneficial to therapists in terms of personal growth and cultural competency (Finlay, 2005). This heuristic study employed Moustakas’ (1990) six stages of initial engagement, immersion, incubation, illumination, explication, and creative synthesis to examine the impact of immersion in Amish culture on my sense of myself as an art therapist. Data collection included keeping a visual journal and making art during the immersion stage. The data was evaluated using qualitative techniques of categorizing, interpreting, and integrating (Ansdell & Pavlicevic, 2001). Themes which emerged from the artwork were reported in a narrative format and …

An African-American Breast Cancer Survivor’S Journey With The Use Of Visual Journaling, Kristen Spellman

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative case study guided one female breast cancer survivor through a 6-week art therapy visual journaling experience. The art therapist taught the participant about the purpose of visual journaling and the potential benefits, as well as the basic methods used to journal. Qualitative data consisted of the visual journal entry (containing both images and writing) that she made in each session and entries made between sessions. Through content analysis, the following themes emerged from the data: breast cancer treatment, anger, family, body image, and depression. The sessions appeared to be beneficial to the participant, and she was enthusiastic and …