Thesis
The development of a grounded theory of the meanings associated to the Bridge Drawing Assessment in a normal population: a pilot study
Master of Arts (M.A.), Drexel University
Apr 2009
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/etd-3049
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore responses from a normal population toaspects of the Bridge Drawing Art Therapy Assessment and generate a grounded theorythrough systematic exploration of the data. The research design was chosen todifferentiate from methods used in past Bridge Drawing Assessment research, whichhave included assumptions about meaning of aspects of the bridge drawing made bysubjects. Instead of coding the artwork alone, the actual verbal responses of subjects werethe focal point of study to better understand the meanings which were used in context tothe graphic representations. Six healthy adults (2 females, 4 males) who met inclusioncriteria for a normal population participated in the data collection phase of this studywhich included creating bridge drawing artwork and giving verbal associations to aspectsof their drawing during the semi-structured interview. Three central phenomena were identified through the constant comparativemethod of data analysis and selection: 1) The gestalt view of life transitions,relationships evoked through memory and feeling states; 2) The gestalt view ofhorizontal, vertical, and diagonal planes of bridge axis symbolic of social and cognitivedevelopment; and 3) The gestalt view of feelings of progress and status evaluatedthrough the use of the bridge, the arrow, and the dot in symbolic context. All of these phenomena were seen as being unified by the concept of the gestaltor examination of the whole. This multidimensional approach commonly used in arttherapy incorporates not only the artwork in assessment analysis but the whole dynamicwithin which the art is made, including the verbal associations to the artwork and thecontext in which the art is created. Suggestions for future research were an important component of the discussionsection, as a goal of this research project was to provide a baseline of data for futureresearchers in this area of study. The suggestions included: exploring how the Bridge Drawing Assessment data may be similar or different across lifespan and cultures;expanding on the tentative link found between Silver's (1989) cognitive developmentframework and the horizontal, vertical and diagonal planes used in subject's BridgeDrawing Assessment; and examining reliability and validity issues of Bridge DrawingAssessment analysis through the development of a standardized post-analysis frameworkusing a grid structure to evaluate artwork.
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Details
- Title
- The development of a grounded theory of the meanings associated to the Bridge Drawing Assessment in a normal population
- Creators
- Stacy Anne Bania - DU
- Contributors
- Nancy E. Gerber (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
- 3049; 991014632576604721