Combating Self-Objectification and Nurutring Self-Concept: Art Therapy Interventions with Adolescent Girls
Graduation Date
Spring 2016
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
Abstract
The pilot study examined the ability of Cognitive-Behavioral art therapy interventions to increase self-concept and lower self-objectification levels among a treatment group of adolescent girls ages 11-13 years. Altered books were used as a container for these interventions. By the end of the six-week Cognitive-Behavioral art therapy intervention, positive correlations were found among several of the self-concept variables for which the pilot study measured. However, overall self-concept levels were shown to have decreased, and the construct of self-objectification was not lowered, nor did it change significantly. Cultural and theoretical implications for art therapy practice with adolescents were discussed.