Graduation Date
2027
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Project Type
Mixed Methods
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy
Program
Art Therapy
Program Director
Richard Carolan, PhD, ATR-BC
First Reader
Erin Partridge, PhD, ATR-BC
Second Reader
Jennifer Clay
Abstract
Muslim Americans are among the most underserved populations in mental health care in the United States. In the wake of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, many Muslim Americans have experienced intensified psychological distress, including anxiety, grief, and a heightened sense of helplessness, while continuing to show up in the streets in protest. This mixed-methods study examined whether the collective process of protest poster-making leads to emotional expression among Muslim American participants. Eleven Muslim American participants across two groups in the San Francisco Bay Area completed a pre and post Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) to measure changes in affect, as well as a ten-item open-ended questionnaire and a facilitated group discussion following the intervention. An art analysis was also conducted by a group of art therapy peers and a word count was taken of the qualitative data and discussions. Quantitative results indicated that while both positive and negative affect saw modest increases following the intervention, distress was the only emotion to trend downward. Qualitative findings revealed five overarching themes: emotional expression through art-making, collective identity and solidarity, empowerment and agency, fear and vulnerability around activism, and a bittersweet emotional experience. These findings suggest that collective protest poster-making may serve as a meaningful low-risk intervention for Muslim Americans navigating the intersection of political activism and mental health. The results contribute to a growing body of literature on community-based art therapy and highlight the potential for art therapists to meet marginalized communities where they already are, in the streets, in the encampments, and in the ongoing struggle for justice.
IRB Number
11309
Included in
Arts and Humanities Commons, Art Therapy Commons, Marriage and Family Therapy and Counseling Commons