Date of Award

Spring 5-2011

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

EVMS School of Health Professions

Program/Concentration

Art Therapy & Counseling

Committee Director

Matthew Bernier

Committee Member

Abby Calisch

Committee Member

Sarah Deaver

Abstract

Parental cancer can put strain on children’s ability to cope with stress and can impact their future development. Children may experience high levels of stress and depression when faced with life changes such as parental cancer. There is limited research on how children cope with parental cancer. Art therapy can help promote communication and expression of feelings and serve as an educational approach to help children cope with parental cancer. The objective of this thesis was to design an art therapy intervention for a child who is experiencing parental cancer. This art therapy intervention has been designed to alleviate the effects on a child of parental cancer. This proposed intervention provides the child with individual art therapy to include five art activities over the course of eight weeks. The intervention will employ an integrative treatment approach that includes cognitive behavior therapy informed by object relations theory. The aim of this intervention is to help improve communication and knowledge about the illness, increase self-expression, and improve coping skills and help alleviate stress and anxiety associated with parental cancer. The proposed research method will be a descriptive, single case study.

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DOI

10.25777/83np-8k38

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