Yes

This study employed a mixed method approach to explore perceptions of healing, particularly as it relates to the mind, body and spirit. The data was collected via a questionnaire consisting of word lists, scaling questions, narratives and an art based component among thirty-two yoga therapy students and twenty-one art therapy students at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA. The information gathered was used to explore, compare and contrast the perceptions of healing within and between the two groups. The findings suggested that both study groups shared similar concepts about the integration of the mind, body and spirituality in their healing journeys while decidedly demonstrating the importance in personal change and growth in their perceived healing experiences. However the yoga therapy participants appeared to take a more concrete approach that was directly related to the practice of yoga and its philosophy, whereas the art therapy participants seemed to take a broader and more intuitive path. These differences were especially noted in the expressive art pieces.

A qualitative research study presents a thorough examination of a group art therapy curriculum for child survivors of disaster or traumatic events. A review of the existing literature was used to inform the current study. The researcher utilized focus group method of inquiry to gain a better understanding of the topic from experts in the art therapy field. Through the gathering of data and analysis, the findings suggest that the curriculum developed to assist child survivors of traumatic events or disasters has intrinsic value and can assist in the recovery process. The focus group provided a means to analyze the curriculum in a critical manner, allowing it to be adjusted and revised for implementation in the future. Drawing on their expertise in working with survivors of disaster or traumatic events, the focus group participants provided valuable feedback used to revise the proposed curriculum. The revised curriculum has the potential to provide safety and containment to encourage integration of the trauma amidst internal and external chaos that a disaster or traumatic event may evoke.

This arts-based and quantitative study looked at the effects of reflective art making as a tool for stress reduction, clinical insight and therapist identity formation. Research was completed by three Loyola Marymount University, art therapy graduate students. Data was collected over nine sessions consisting of inventory scores from the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y), as well as artwork made in response to each participant’s client presentation. The research questions answered were: How does the reflective art-making process inform clinical identity as an art therapist? What effect did regular self-exploration have on burnout for the art therapist, as indicated by scores on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y) (Spielberger, 1983)? How was the process for each participant? Thematic analysis was used to identify themes and patterns within the data. Major findings suggest that reflective art making is a promising intervention for clinical insight, and art therapists’ identity formation. Furthermore, while the number of participants was not large enough to show statistical significance, there was a general decrease in anxiety among nearly all participants from the pre-test to the post-test. Practice implications are proposed and recommendations for further research are offered.

This research served to visualize levels of family satisfaction and quality of life in families with an Autistic member(s). Art-based qualitative survey was the primary method of gathering data. The vast majority of the literature on autism focused on the treatment of the child, yet some literature suggested a re-focusing on the family as the unit of treatment may improve family satisfaction and quality of life. Taking this into consideration this research explored how parents experience family satisfaction through written and visual responses. The theme of independence for the child with autism was present in all five visual responses which suggested a desire to see their child functioning autonomously. Due to the inherit bias of therapy’s affect on relationships it was surprising that approximately half of the participants reported not experiencing a change in their relationship with their child after treatment. Both the data gathered and the literature reviewed lead to the research conclusion that the caregivers of a child with Autism experience a higher level of family satisfaction when they are flexible and gain support from mental health services and a community of family and friends.

This phenomenological study examines the impact image-making experiences had on the leadership restructuring of a women’s religious congregation. Six Catholic women religious ranging in ages 65-85 participated in an arts-based workshop informed by art therapy theories to explore the meaning of making art during their Province Chapter meetings in which leadership restructuring was on the agenda. In addition, 42 of the 80 Province Chapter delegates responded to a survey about their experience. The data collected includes the survey, the workshop process, the images made by the six participants, their verbal sharing about their image, and their written reflections. Five common themes emerged from the study which speak to the impact the imagemaking process had on the organization’s leadership restructuring. Increased participation, enhanced communication, emergence of new ideas and insights, awareness of feelings, and embracing a sense of mystery or unknowing each affected the re-organizational process in a different way. The findings imply that art therapy theories and art therapists can benefit not only individuals in the clinical setting but also organizations and communities.

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 dyadic art making process and product. Limitations and considerations were further discussed for future research.

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 findings that support the role of art in building attunement, as well as questions for future research regarding families with child welfare involvement.

Spaced Out is about a 16-year-old high school student named Penny, who arrives home from school after a long day. She has astronomy homework that is due, and she is determined to sit down and get it done as fast as possible so that she can have some evening time to herself. This all goes awry when Opal, a dragon who is a manifestation of her ADHD, shows up to distract her. Penny must find a way to finish her assignment, not by ignoring Opal and pretending she isn't there, but by embracing the fact that she is a part of her and using it to her advantage.This short film is an educational fantasy based on my own experiences living with ADHD, and with it I hope to offer others a glimpse into my daily struggles. Many people still believe in harmful stereotypes about ADHD and assume it can manifest in only one way. Spaced Out is my attempt to bring further understanding to this complex mental health challenge.

Yes / Background: Online communities hold great potential as interventions for health, particularly for the management of chronic illness. The social support that online communities can provide has been associated with positive treatment outcomes, including medication adherence. There are few studies that have attempted to assess whether membership of an online community improves health outcomes using rigorous designs. Objective: Our objective was to conduct a rigorous proof-of-concept randomized controlled trial of an online community intervention for improving adherence to asthma medicine. Methods: This 9-week intervention included a sample of asthmatic adults from the United Kingdom who were prescribed an inhaled corticosteroid preventer. Participants were recruited via email and randomized to either an “online community” or “no online community” (diary) condition. After each instance of preventer use, participants (N=216) were required to report the number of doses of medication taken in a short post. Those randomized to the online community condition (n=99) could read the posts of other community members, reply, and create their own posts. Participants randomized to the no online community condition (n=117) also posted their medication use, but could not read others’ posts. The main outcome measures were self-reported medication adherence at baseline and follow-up (9 weeks postbaseline) and an objective measure of adherence to the intervention (visits to site). Results: In all, 103 participants completed the study (intervention: 37.8%, 39/99; control: 62.2%, 64/117). MANCOVA of self-reported adherence to asthma preventer medicine at follow-up was not significantly different between conditions in either intention-to-treat (P=.92) or per-protocol (P=.68) analysis. Site use was generally higher in the control compared to intervention conditions. Conclusions: Joining an online community did not improve adherence to preventer medication for asthma patients. Without the encouragement of greater community support or more components / Funded by a pilot grant from the University of Leeds School of Psychology. A Fulbright Scholarship from the US-UK Fulbright Commission supported the first author