Increasing Quality of Life in Cystic Fibrosis Adolescents Using Art Therapy
Graduation Date
Spring 2015
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
Jennifer Harrison, PsyD, DAAETS, ATR-BC
Second Reader
Amy Backos, PhD, ATR-BC
Abstract
The intent of this thesis grant proposal is to secure funding for research on the use of art therapy to improve the quality of life in adolescents with cystic fibrosis. The proposed art therapy will serve as a complementary therapy to existing cystic fibrosis medical treatment. The goal is to find evidence of art therapy increasing the quality of life in adolescents who have cystic fibrosis. After participating in 12 art therapy sessions over a six-month period, adolescents with cystic fibrosis will show a decrease in physical, emotional, and psychological symptoms associated with the disease. Adolescents with cystic fibrosis will also show improvements in medical treatment adherence due to increasing treatment specific knowledge and by reducing physical, emotional, and psychological symptoms associated with cystic fibrosis. This paper presents the research on cystic fibrosis, the use of art therapy increasing the quality of life in patients with a critical illness, and how that art therapy research can be applied to those with cystic fibrosis.