2410 research outputs found
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They Don\u27t Get It : Marginalized Mothers and Their Experiences with Social Support
Get PDFMaternal caregivers of children with developmental disabilities (DD) experience a significant burden of care and increased parenting stress, making social support crucial to family well-being. This qualitative study used a feminist, intersectional framework to examine how marginalized mothers of children with DD, who have been less extensively studied than majority mothers (Stober & Franzese, 2018), perceive and experience social support from extended family, friends and community members. It also examined how social supports impact the mother’s quality of life, understanding that the caregiver\u27s well-being is a determining factor for the child\u27s well-being. The study investigated, from mothers’ perspectives, what kind of social support contributes to resiliency, is adaptive, and is helpful as well as barriers to social support that disrupt the family system. The research sought to examine barriers in mothers’ social-relational ecology that further burden caregivers advocating for their child and to provide possible solutions. Eleven mothers of children with DD participated in semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed through Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) (Smith & Nizza, 2022). All the mothers interviewed identified as marginalized in ways beyond their gender and the disability stigma associated with their children. These compounding marginalized statuses were mainly the mothers’ racial or ethnic identity, role as single parents, being immigrants, or having lower SES. Caregivers with marginalized identities may encounter additional challenges with oppressive systemic barriers and discrimination, as well as a lack of social support. Caregivers overwhelmingly reported experiencing isolation and stigma, which negatively impacts well-being (Smith & Grzywacz, 2014). Findings included barriers to social support, geographic relocation for better access to services, discriminatory experiences, and helpful social supports contributing to resilience. Abandonment from members within the mother’s social support circle, and mother’s distancing from key relationships as a protective factor, was a major finding. Clinical recommendations and a caregiver’s bill of rights are offered
Relational Permanence for Individuals Adopted from Care
Get PDFThis qualitative study explored how individuals adopted from foster care experience the concept of relational permanency using an arts-based storytelling process. Participants were eight young adults between the ages of 18 and 30 who were adopted from foster care as youth. All participants identified as cisgender women, 75% identified as Black/African American (n = 6) and 25% as white (n = 2). Participants completed a demographic survey and engaged in a single 60-to-90-minute interview session. The interview was comprised of three main components, a semi-structured interview regarding participant understanding of relational permanency, an embodied check-in focused on physiological experience, and an arts-based storytelling process involving the creation of timeline of relationship and a house drawing. Thematic analysis revealed three themes regarding participant’s understanding of the construct of relational permanence: relational elements of building permanency, personal barriers to permanency, and external barriers to permanency. Analysis of the arts-based storytelling component suggest that the use of creative process supported participants in sharing about and reflecting on their experiences. Findings confirm that relational permanency is a complex construct and further investigation into how it may function as a protective factor for individuals with lived experience in care is warranted
07.01.002 Lesley Graduate School, Graduate Handbooks, 1967-2008
Get PDFThis collection contains graduate handbooks published annually for Lesley University\u27s Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences (GSASS) and Graduate School of Education
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER’S EXPERIENCES OF OPEN STUDIO PROCESS IN EXAMINING DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION TOPICS
Get PDFABSTRACT
This qualitative research study examined the experiences of two Black female teachers and six White female teachers who participated in five Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) workshops that incorporated Open Studio Process (OSP) using Expressive Therapy Continuum (ETC). It is informed by research on defensiveness and resistance that often accompanies and presents barriers to effective DEI training.
All eight study participants were elementary school teachers, ages 22-56. Participants engaged in five workshops that used artistic mediums to explore DEI topics. Participants visually and metaphorically represented their experiences. Results were analyzed using qualitative techniques.
Findings are that OSP using ETC provided study participants with a safe and supportive environment to explore DEI topics. The no-judgment guideline encouraged participants to freely express themselves, facilitating self-reflection and personal growth.
Participants reported feeling empowered to challenge biases and beliefs, expanding their critical consciousness and DEI awareness. Expressive therapies tapped creativity and emotions, expanding consciousness and empathy with marginalized groups. Participants expanded their awareness of structural inequalities in educational systems. The study also highlighted the need for support and follow-up to sustain learning
Drawing Closer: Enhancing Connection in Romantic Relationships Through Expressive Arts – An Autoethnographic Community Engagement Exploration
Get PDFThis literature review aims to raise awareness around the many physical and mental health risks associated with loneliness, especially in today’s sociopolitical climate. It explores how fostering healthy relationships with feelings of connection and intimacy is one promising avenue toward mitigating those risks. Through synthesizing existing research on successful relationships, this thesis proposes a list of five beneficial relationship characteristics and traits that can be cultivated through expressive arts therapy. To further the investigation, this thesis includes an autoethnographic community engagement project exploring a real-life application of collaborative, creative artmaking. Due to researcher demographics, the information presented is geared towards White, pre-marital, heterosexual, monogamous relationships. Research results, in conjunction with the literature review, provide substantial evidence that expressive arts therapy holds immense potential to teach and maintain the necessary skills for healthy, fulfilling relationships. It is my intention that the information presented within this thesis serves as the impetus to conduct a more nuanced longitudinal research study, specifically investigating whether using expressive arts therapy as a form of pre-marital counseling improves relationship satisfaction, decreases divorce rates, and increases overall physical/mental/spiritual health over the long-term
RE-SHAPING THE DEFINITION OF EATING DISORDER RECOVERY BY AMPLIFYING ADOLESCENT VOICES: AN ARTS-INFORMED PHENOMENOLOGICAL INQUIRY
Get PDFAdolescence is known as being a critical period of development, especially for adolescent girls. During this developmental stage, young girls may fall susceptible to concerns about body-image, weight, shape, and appearance, and are deeply influenced by the perceptions of others, particularly their peers. Eating disorders constitute a significant public health concern, with adolescent females being particularly vulnerable. Recovery from eating disorders remains a complex and multifaceted phenomenon, characterized by varied definitions within the literature (Bardone-Cone et al., 2010). Despite the rampant nature of eating disorders among this age group, there is limited literature denoting the recovery experiences of female adolescents with much of the literature focusing on adult lived experiences. Drawing upon critical feminist and sociocultural theories, this qualitative arts-informed phenomenological study sought to understand the gap in the literature pertaining to how female adolescents in recovery perceived and defined recovery from an eating disorder following their participation in treatment.
There were eight adolescent participants that shared their recovery experiences through semi-structured interviews, artmaking, and multimodal integration to depict what recovery meant from an adolescent standpoint. Findings revealed that recovery is multifaceted, encompassing physical, psychological, social, and behavioral dimensions, along with improved quality of life and shifts in self-perception. Participants underscored the importance of individualized treatment, resilience, and ongoing support, challenging the notion of recovery as a finite endpoint. Instead, they advocated for a perspective of continuous growth and healing. This study highlighted the nuanced nature of eating disorder recovery from the perspective of adolescent females, emphasizing the need for holistic and personalized approaches to treatment
UNVEILING THE VOICES: LIVED EXPERIENCES OF ADOLESCENT GIRLS WITH EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION
Get PDFThis dissertation addresses a significant gap in existing research by exploring lived experiences of cisgender female adolescents (Grades 7–12) diagnosed with emotional disturbance (ED) in the U.S. Current statistics indicate that 28% of students in special education with an ED diagnosis are girls; yet, their perspectives remain largely absent from scholarly discourse. Rooted in critical constructivism, critical feminist theory, and dis/ability studies and critical race theory (DisCrit), this qualitative study aims to elucidate insights that can enhance academic success and elevate high school graduation rates for this demographic. This research investigates the experiences of seven participants from New England, representing both self-contained and inclusion special education settings. Participants engaged in interviews and vision board exercises in order to examine the question, “How do cisgender female adolescents with ED experience either a self-contained classroom or an inclusion setting tailored to their disability?” The analysis reveals four key findings: negative school experiences; meaningful relationships and connection to nature and animals; school staff attunement to student mental health and trauma; and creative pursuits and the hope for the future. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the experiences of adolescent girls in special education with ED and offers implications for interventions, teaching practices, policies, and future research endeavors. Findings underscore the necessity of incorporating student voices into development of educational practices, ultimately fostering a more inclusive and effective learning environment for this marginalized population
Moving and Dancing Mindfully: A Community-Based Project for a Competitive Dance Team
Get PDFThis graduate-level thesis explores the integration of mindfulness and Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) principles applied to the competitive dance community. Drawing from the personal experience and studies of DMT of the author, there is an exploration of the importance of mindfulness when fostering dancers\u27 connection to their bodies and promoting wellbeing through a community-based project. A one-hour workshop titled Moving and Dancing Mindfully was conducted to explore these concepts with a competitive dance team (N = 18), aged fourteen to eighteen. The workshop took place at a dance studio located in a suburban, lower to middle-class community in the East Coast of the United States. The results include an exchange between the facilitator\u27s informed approach and the participant\u27s experiences. This data was gathered by creating a word cloud that included the dancer\u27s responses to their experience and journaling of the facilitator’s experience and observations. The data was evaluated and interpreted through an arts-based analysis of the dancers’ responses
Community Project: Dominican Palo Dance, a Non-Pathological Intervention to Enhance Youth Therapeutic Engagement in Community Based Healing
Get PDFPalo Dance is a Dominican folkloric, cultural, spiritual, and community dance, an essential piece of Dominican roots and their ancestral healing practices. Dominican Palo Dance healing qualities include a variety of Indigenous and diasporic approaches including chanting, rituals, and community healing. These methods not only have healing properties but also reflect deeply rooted cultural practices designed for holistic well-being. The research is grounded in my experiences growing up in Los Guaricanos de Villa Mella, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, a marginalized yet culturally rich community. Through participation in youth spiritual groups, community dances, and events, I developed a profound appreciation for the dance form and its ancestral healing practices. Understanding rituals as systems of meaning requires a deep dive into the symbols they comprise (Hernández Soto, 1996). The thesis draws on Dance and Movement Therapy (DMT) concepts inherent in Palo and builds off Mara’s Four Levels of Empowerment model, which recognizes the body-mind unity and therapeutic potential of expressive movement, specifically as it relates to rituals and daily practice. Further, it helped show the opportunities to utilize elements of Palo Dancing for community healing. The intended outcome of this community project was to establish Palo Dance as a recognized therapeutic practice, particularly within expressive therapies. By incorporating Palo Dance into the respite program, I aimed to contribute to DMT clinical practice by offering an innovative and culturally relevant therapeutic technique. Participant feedback indicated a positive response to the tools introduced, highlighting the effectiveness of community-based healing techniques
How can Art Therapy Help Individuals with Chronic Illnesses? A Literature Review
Get PDFThis literature review examines the influence of art therapy on the self-esteem of individuals who suffer from chronic pain. The research question was: How can art therapy help individuals with chronic illnesses? Through an exploration of the topics of art therapy, chronic pain, parenting style, and self-esteem, it was noted that there is a gap in literature about art therapy’s influence on self-esteem resulting from chronic pain. However, an analysis of the literature reveals that art therapy can influence the self-esteem of individuals who suffer from chronic pain. Art therapy can influence this population by providing a sense of belonging, another form of communication, self-expression, and navigating their experience of pain