This qualitative research study used art to illuminate the experiences of therapists who work and diagnose children who have experienced trauma. Previous literature informed the current study by exploring the history of trauma-related diagnoses in the DSM (Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), literature related to complex trauma and developmental trauma, and the art therapy research related to treating and diagnosing trauma. This study used interview methodology to acquire firsthand accounts of therapists currently working with and diagnosing children who have experienced trauma, and were asked to create art to help illustrate their experiences. Analyzing the participants artwork and interview transcriptions allowed for four themes to emerge: Child’s perspective, Therapist’s perspective, Caregiver’s perspective, and Administrative Process. Further investigation into these themes revealed several findings: the limitations of the administrative process, developmental inconsistency, and the lack of a developmental understanding of death related to the DSM-5 criteria. This research also suggests that art can be used as a tool to help access the child’s perspective, and provide the therapist with a more comprehensive understanding of the child’s world.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:lmu.edu/oai:digitalcommons.lmu.edu:etd-1516 |
| Date | 01 April 2018 |
| Creators | Raphael, Sarah Tokimi |
| Publisher | Digital Commons at Loyola Marymount University and Loyola Law School |
| Source Sets | Loyola Marymount University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations |
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