Experiences and constructions of art: a narrative‐discourse analysis

Aims: Identity is at risk in chronic fatigue conditions because of physical dysfunction, role loss, and stigmatisation. This qualitative study explored the meanings of leisure-based art-making for women living with CFS/ME, in relation to preserving and promoting positive identities.Method: Thirteen women with CFS/ME participated. They offered reflective accounts about their engagement in art-making in interviews or in writing, which were then thematically analysed.Findings: All described identity loss since becoming ill, and described artmaking as offering restorative experiences. Some contrasting themes emerged. About half of the sample portrayed their art projects as constrained by ill-health, and as demonstrating the reality of CFS/ME to others. This subgroup struggled with limited aspirations, tended to create art alone, and did not identify themselves as being artists. They were interpreted as 'salvaging' identity through their art-making. Art-making appeared to offer others more substantial identity reconstruction, despite continuing ill-health. Participants in this sub-group described more positive aspirations, fellowship with other artmakers, and typically perceived themselves as having become artists since the onset of illness.Conclusion: The study contributes new understandings of the contribution of art-making to salvaging and reconstructing identity in CFS/ME.

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“…There has been a widespread view that 'art is good for people' (Stickley, Hui, Morgan & Bertram (2007;p. 783).…”

Section: Malchiodi 2005)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Art-making and identity work: A qualitative study of women living with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME)

Reynolds

Vivat

2010

Arts & Health

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“…Similarly, from a humanities perspective, there is increasing research, for example, on the health and social benefits of narrative/ life story/ oral history/ creative writing (e.g. Eakin, 2003;Grant et al, 2012;Grant et al, in press;Moya, 2009;Rofe, 2009;Rudick, 2011;Scotti, 2009;Staricoff, 2004;Stickley et al, 2007) and bibliotherapy (in the widest sense of reading as a therapeutic or health benefitting activity) on health, including mental health and social wellbeing within recovery based contexts (e.g. Aldridge and Dutton, 2009;Brewster, 2007;Brown, 2009;Canadian Council on Learning, 2007;Davis, Tomkins and Roberts, 2008; Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2009;Dugdale and Clark, 2008;Frieswijk et al, 2006;Hicks, Creaser et al, 2010;Hodge, Robinson and Davis, 2007).…”

Section: Creative Practicementioning

confidence: 99%

Creative practice as mutual recovery in mental health

Crawford

Lewis

Brown

et al. 2013

Mental Health Review Journal

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PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the value of approaches to mental health based on creative practice in the humanities and arts, and explore these in relation to the potential contribution to mutual recovery.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is a conceptual analysis and literature review.FindingsRecovery can embrace carers and practitioners as well as sufferers from mental health problems. Divisions tend to exist between those with mental health needs, informal carers and health, social care and education personnel. Mutual recovery is therefore a very useful term because it instigates a more fully social understanding of mental health recovery processes, encompassing diverse actors in the field of mental health. Research demonstrates the importance of arts for “recovery orientated mental health services”, how they provide ways of breaking down social barriers, of expressing and understanding experiences and emotions, and of helping to rebuild identities and communities. Similarly, the humanities can advance the recovery of health and well‐being.Originality/valueThe notion of mutual recovery through creative practice is more than just a set of creative activities which are believed to have benefit. The idea is also a heuristic that can be useful to professionals and family members, as well as individuals with mental health problems themselves. Mutual recovery is perhaps best seen as a relational construct, offering new opportunities to build egalitarian, appreciative and substantively connected communities – resilient communities of mutual hope, compassion and solidarity.

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“…In providing public health programs to communities it only makes sense to incorporate art into services. Additionally, this and other studies (Parr 2006;Staricoff 2006;Stickley et al 2007) add to the growing body of literature that participation in the arts and crafts can be beneficial for consumers of mental health services, particularly in the context of reducing stigma and social exclusion. Art acquires meaning, in part from the context in which it was undertaken and the setting in which it is displayed (Freeland 2001).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 61%

Empathy at a distance: A qualitative study on the impact of publically‐displayed art on observers

Hurley

Linsley

Rowe³

et al. 2014

Int J Mental Health Nurs

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While there is some evidence in the literature on the impact of art therapy for consumers, there is comparatively little written on how art that has been created by consumers impacts on those observing the art. This paper reports on a qualitative research study that sought to determine if publically-displayed art created by young consumers impacted on stigma reduction and self-help-seeking behaviours of the observers. The findings derived from the thematic analysis of qualitative interviews suggested that publically-displayed art is a safe medium, through which empathy and understanding towards young people with mental illness can be enhanced, and that the art generates discussion and self-help behaviours for mental illness. These findings highlight how mental health nurses can promote social inclusion and reduce stigma through public mental health initiatives that are an important inclusion in the scope of mental health nursing practice.

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Experiences and constructions of art: a narrative‐discourse analysis

Cited by 30 publications

References 15 publications

Art-making and identity work: A qualitative study of women living with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME)

Art-making and identity work: A qualitative study of women living with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME)

Creative practice as mutual recovery in mental health

Empathy at a distance: A qualitative study on the impact of publically‐displayed art on observers

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