The Effects of Art Therapy on the Self-Worth of Inner City Youth
Graduation Date
Spring 1993
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
This research intended to look at the effects of 32^t therapy on the self-worth of children living m an inner city population. Ten children, male and female,
eight to twelve were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Five were assigned to the experimental group and five to the control group. The children in the experimental group participated in ten art therapy sessions, the children in the control group did not.
Two instruments were used in the research, the Harter Self Perception Profile (1985) was used as a pre and post test, and various art therapy techniques were used with the experimental group. In examining statistical results the following tests were used: the Fisher T-test for small uncorrelated samples, the Pitman exact probability test, the Fisher T-test for small related samples and the Fisher exact probability test.
Although there was an increase in mean scores from pre to post text scores within the experimental group the change was not statistically significant. It was concluded, based on statistical and empirical results, that a statistically significant increase in self-worth scores would be seen if research were to take place over a longer period of time.