Examining the Effects of an Art Therapy Group on Resilience and Externalizing Problems with Sixth Grade Latino Males Transitioning to Middle School
Graduation Date
Spring 2013
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Document Form
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy
Degree Granting Institution
Notre Dame de Namur University
Program Name
Art Therapy
Dean
John Lemmon, PhD
First Reader
Richard Carolan, EdD, ATR-BC
Second Reader
Carol Melberg, MA, LMFT, ATR-BC
Abstract
The purpose of his grant proposal is to request funding for an art therapy group for sixth grade Latino male students at an elementary school in an underserved community. The art therapy group is designed as a 12-session/ 12-week art therapy group for up to ten sixth grade male participants per session (two sessions per academic school year) held at the elementary school. The various art directives (e.g. masks, creating a hero, mandalas, etc.) and media aim to build upon the protective factors present in the Latino culture (familismo, colectivismo, personalismo, respeto) in an effort to increase resilience and decrease externalizing behaviors. The art therapy group will be sensitive towards gender cultural issues with males, development, transitions (upcoming change to middle school), community (underserved, with exposure to violence). Measures arc pre- and post-testing with the Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM, to examine changes in resilience based on a cultural/ecological perspective) and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ. to examine changes in externalizing behaviors) for self, teachers, and parents.