As the only Master of Arts in Art Therapy program in Northern California, Dominican University of California offers an intimate on-campus learning environment designed to prepare students for successful careers in art therapy while encouraging the artistic and therapeutic process.
This site brings together a collection of master's theses and doctoral dissertations from the students of the Art Therapy program.
Theses/Capstones from 2003
A National Survey of Art Therapists Regarding: How Art Affects the Development of Trust in the Therapeutic Relationship, Jennifer R. Alward
A Thesis Examining Historic Images of Christ as They Reflect Existential Themes of Love, Loss and Hope and Their Implcations Within the Terapeutic Process, Carolyn A. Farrell-Shaw
Combining Art Therapy and Ecopsychology: An Art and Wilderness Experience, Allie Andrus
Defining Self Through Symbol: A Psychological Analysis of the Cinderella Fairy Tale, Colette Fujimoto
Developing Positive Self-Talk Using Symbols in Sandplay, Jennifer Joyce
Huichol Yarn Painting as an Art Therapy Intervention to Promote Insight in Latino Children, Iris Rodriguez-Costello
Increasing Self-Awareness and Positive Feelings Towards Self: The Use of Art with Individuals with Developmental Disabilities, Jennifer Schott
Medical Art Therapy: A Synthesized Literature Review Resource Guide, Daynia J. Flynn
Menopause: A Rite of Passage Creation of a Menopausal Mask: Honoring Women in Midlife, Mary H. Lowe
Preferences and Descriptions of Religious Imagery According to Anxiety Level, Shay Lynn Alderman
Self-Portrait Drawings by Adolescents Diagnosed With Borderline or Narcissistic Personality Disorders, Elizabeth Zimmerman
The Effects of Digital Storytelling on Healing and Closure with World War II Veterans, Deborah A. Vanni
The Old Masters Art Collage With Couples: Increasing Intimacy Through a Six-Session Art Intervention With Couples, Justina Larson
The Option Mandala: A Brief Art Therapy Intervention for Sexually Active Teens, Jacqueline Tabb
Using the FEATS with Brain Tumor Patients, Jennifer Taylor
Theses/Capstones from 2002
A Correlational Study of the Effects of Acculturation and Body Image on the Perceptions of Obesity and Thiness by Latin Women, Rosa M. Morrow
An Art Therapy Program for Women Who are Experienceing Postpartum Depression at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, Brittany Ryan Michaelian
A Preventative Intervention for Children at Risk for Depression Using Learned Optimism and Art Therapy, Anne B. Stockwell
Art Therapy for the First Three Steps of AA's 12-Step Program, Pen-lung Liao
Art Therapy Program for At-Risk Children of Battered Women, Melissa Miel Foster
A Safe Space: An Art therpay Group for Women Survivors of Domestic Violence, Angela Angelone
A School-Based Bereavement Art Therapy Support Group for Grieving Children, Cecilie Christine Rowitz
Conditions in Which the Process of Art is Healing: A Survey, July K. Ugas
Establishing and Nurturing Social Connectedness Through a Threapeutic Art Experience for Children Aged Seven to Ten, Lisa Bartsch
Perceptions of Beauty Among Young Children in a Multicultural Society, Gila Gam
Relationship Between Perception of the Character of God and a Father's Parenting Style Using Christ Images as a Projective Assessment Tool, Heather Dawn Moore
The Relationship Between Art in Schoool Curriculum and Adolescent Depressive Tendencies, Sara A. Post
The Spiral Symbol: Yesterday and Today, Jill L. Waterfield
Use of the Kinetic Family Drawing to Assess for Familial Alcoholism, Sarah Rubin
Theses/Capstones from 2001
A Correlation Study Using the Formal Elements Art Therapy Scale and the Coopersmith Sel-Esteem Inventory (School Form) With Fourth and Fifth Grade Students, Monica M. Garcia
An Educational Video Illustrating the Theories of Margaret Naumberg and Edith Kramer: "Art as Therapy" and "Art as Psychotherapy", Philip J. Lawson
Teacher's Perception of Art Education in the Kindergarten Classroom, Ellen J. St. Amand
Theses/Capstones from 2000
A Blind Study Using the House-Tree-Person Test to Determine Birth Order, Amalia Leigh Collins
Art Therapy Can be Used to Detect Triggers That Cause Violent Behavior, Steven Edmonds
Providing the "Release" Through an Art Therapy Journal While Promoting Insight: For Adolescent Self-INjurers, Melissa Ciappetta
Using Art to Process Aggression With Children Who Are Severly Emotionally Disturbed, Erin Kelly
Using The AVPT to Establish Viusual Concepts Norms of Taiwanese College Students, Su-Fen Liu
Using the AVPT With German University Students to Establish a Norminative Base for Visual Construct Preferences, Julie Haschemeyer
Theses/Capstones from 1999
A Historical Survey of the Angel Archetype: Convergence of Psychology, Art Therapy and Soul, Christine Marie Springer
A Research Project on Mood and Color Choice in Children With Autism, Heather Suzanne Eckenrod
Art Therapy in a Business Community: A Creative Outlet for Enhancing the Work Experience Through Communication Skills Training and Stress Reduction, Kenda Swartz-Perez
Effect of Group Art Therapy on Depressed Mother-Child Dyads, Amy K. Keucher
Measuring the Validity of the DAP-SF Using the Draw-a-Person Projective Drawing to Assess Self-Seteem in Latino Adolescents, Yvette Duarte
Physiological Calming Effect of the Color Blue on Children, Lydia Cho
Presence of Defense Mechanisms in the Art of Children in Treatment for Luekemia, Kathryn S. Rogers