Medical Art Therapy: A Synthesized Literature Review Resource Guide
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 Medical Art Therapy Literature Review Resource Guide holds an organized set of the Literature that exists specific to the field of Medical Art Therapy. The following research was undertaken to gather and synthesize research and information that exists about Medical Art Therapy into one centralized location. Research has shown that there is not a clear comprehension of Medical Art Therapy and there remains skepticism about the validity of it’s benefits to hospitalized patients and their families. This skepticism appears to stem from both a lack of understanding and awareness of the field and the lack of statistical and numerical research conducted in this field. The author’s findings show there to be a substantial amount of information that exists, but the bulk of Journal Studies and Findings are qualitative studies as opposed to quantitative studies. Researchers are challenged in finding accurate ways to measure and produce statistical analysis that prove the benefits and impact of using Medical Art Therapy in hospitals. More Quantitative Research is needed for this field to continue to flourish and be utilized. The enclosed research involves the gathering and organizing of pertinent research, literature, and information so it may be better understood and utilized. In order to make the findings easily accessible to the reader, the author divides the findings into seven different sections, each of which is a different genre and resource from which to obtain information. An index is included for the reader to be able to easily access specific information that they are searching. Within each index are a list of codes that inform the reader where they can find studies and information that pertain to that particular population of articles/books. It is in the authors opinion that the reader will find the bulk of rich information from the Art Therapy and Nursing Journals as it is there one will find research articles specific to the integrated field of art and medicine.