A Grant Proposal Examining Mirroring as an Art Therapy Technique With High Risk Preschoolers in Head Start
Graduation Date
Spring 2003
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
Lizbeth Martin, PhD
First Reader
Richard Carolan, EdD, ATR-BC
Second Reader
Gwen Sanders, MFT, ART-BC
Abstract
This grant proposal hopes to research the use of an art therapy directive to explore the technique of mirroring through art. Mirroring may be defined as the reflection of information in words, behavior, body language, play and art. Mirroring plays a vital role in the relationship between the mother and the infant. Failure to receive adequate mirroring from the primary care giver or to have experienced the mirroring interrupted by trauma or maltreatment may result in the inability to form and maintain healthy relationships throughout their development. A single-subject multiple baseline design will be used with the children to move from no mirroring to mirroring art, verbal expressions, and body language. “Mirroring” in this case, involves a mimetic copy of an individual’s artistic efforts done by the art therapist produced in the individual art therapy sessions. The individuals studied are preschool children between the ages of three and five who are currently enrolled in a Federally funded preschool for low-income families called Head Start who have been referred to the therapist for services due to behaviors or recent trauma.