Date of Award

Spring 3-1-2014

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Administration (MPA)

Abstract

This research’s principal objective is to determine if a therapeutic photography program would reduce symptoms of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The disorder is a severe, debilitating anxiety illness that compromises millions of individuals’ quality of life and their relationships with those they love. The researcher’s main assumption is that a therapeutic photography program would reduce PTSD symptoms in victims of trauma or a life-threatening event (i.e., domestic violence victims, sexual abuse victims and victims of secondary trauma). Therapeutic photography is about creating purposeful photographic compositions that inspires personal insight which allows an individual to better understand themselves and their emotions by non-verbally expressing them through visual images.

For primary data collection, the study includes four approaches. The first one is a survey approach. A total of 110 surveys were given to the staff at David Reese Elementary either personally or via email and to the general public via the researcher’s personal email contacts. A total of 65 surveys were returned by the target population. Also, ten key informants’ interview data from clinicians and art therapists or instructors who have experience in serving the target population and/or teaching the general public was obtained for the research. Furthermore, a personal observation’s study and its data are included in this research project. Lastly, relevant current and classical literature provide review of the challenges that victims of trauma experience which examines the empirical evidence of why therapeutic photography would benefit these victims. The researcher is particularly interested in the topic of PTSD because in 2010 she was a victim of a crime and was noticeably affected by PTSD symptoms. She discovered that therapeutic photography reduced her anxiety-related symptoms of PTSD.

Download

Share

COinS