Using "Identity Tower":An Art Therapy Intervention for Increasing Perceived Social Identity in Workplace Groups
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 Myers Harrison, PsyD, ATR-BC
Second Reader
Sarah Kremer, MAAT, ATR-BC
Abstract
Many American jobs rely on the efforts of a group of employees. The Social Identity Theory links the efforts of group members to the success of the workplace. The purpose of this research is to test an original art intervention with the intention of increasing perceived social identity in the workplace as measured by identification, pride, and respect. A group of adult professionals in the San Francisco Bay Area were invited to participate in a group art therapy session, wherein members engaged in a collaborative creative intervention entitled Identity Tower. The results of the study suggest that using Identity Tower in the workplace may have little effect on the perception of perceived social identity, perceived work group identification and perceived team satisfaction. Further research is suggested using a larger sample size that more accurately represents a general work place environment.