Thesis
Retrospective reflection through movement: the young adult female's perspective on the adolescent experience of living with a mother's breast cancer illness
Master of Arts (M.A.), Drexel University
Aug 2009
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/etd-3141
Abstract
The limited research looking at parental cancer and it's affects on adolescent females has shown that adolescent females whose mothers have breast cancer may be especially vulnerable to depression, anxiety, and body image disruptions (Brown et al., 2007; Compas et al., 1994). This thesis uses a phenomenological research design to understand the adolescent female's experience of a mother's breast cancer and how she perceives its impact on her own development. The study investigates this experience through the reflections of adult women who were adolescents at the time of their mother's breast cancer illness. The study facilitates the participants' access to and reflection on their experiences through a dance/ movement workshop. The researcher followed the workshop with individual in-depth interviews, in which participants were asked to recall their adolescent experience as well as their current lived movement understanding of this experience. Results showed that participants shared common ground in the arenas in which the essence of their experiences of mother's breast cancer occurred. However, the essence of each participant's experience involved its own unique dimension. Communication between mother and daughter, body image, family dynamics, and control were important components to the participants' experience. The researcher was interested in applying this understanding to the development of a dance/ movement therapy (DMT) support group model for adolescents whose mothers have breast cancer.
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Details
- Title
- Retrospective reflection through movement
- Creators
- Jessica Marie Verbanc - DU
- Contributors
- Ellen Schelly Hill (Advisor) - Drexel University (1970-)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Arts (M.A.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Creative Arts Therapies; College of Nursing and Health Professions; Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 3141; 991014632403504721