Group Art Therapy, Breast Cancer, and Doll-Making

Abstract

The aim of this pilot study was to examine if the act of doll-making in a group art therapy setting enhanced body image, increased self-esteem and reduced depressive symptoms with breast cancer patients and survivors. A one time, six-hour doll-making workshop was conducted with four breast cancer survivors ranging in age from 42 through 69 years of age. The researcher, a breast cancer survivor, created a response doll to increase her understanding of the doll-making experience. A narrative of both the participants and the researcher contributed to the qualitative evidence supporting the effect of doll-making with breast cancer survivors. The Beck Depression Inventory was used for evidence to support the efficacy of doll-making and depressive symptoms among the breast cancer survivor participants.