Understanding the Experience of Working Women in Managing Stress During Pandemic Using Expressive Art Therapies

Mohd Nazri Abdul Rahman, Amira Najiha Yahya and Kasturi Bai
Additional contact information
Mohd Nazri Abdul Rahman: Faculty of Education, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur
Amira Najiha Yahya: Faculty of Education, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur
Kasturi Bai: Faculty of Education, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 2024, vol. 8, issue 12, 1011-1031

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly exacerbated stress levels, particularly among working women in Malaysia, who faced increased domestic and professional responsibilities during the crisis. This study explores the effectiveness of Expressive Art Therapy in managing pandemic-induced stress among this demographic. Through qualitative research involving in-depth interviews with 30 participants, the study investigates how Expressive Art Therapy has been utilized to alleviate emotional and psychological strain. The findings reveal that engaging in activities such as painting, drawing, and dance allows these women to articulate emotions nonverbally, fostering a therapeutic release and promoting mental health resilience. This therapeutic approach has proven beneficial in enhancing emotional well-being, offering an innovative outlet for stress management, and improving overall life satisfaction among participants. The research underscores the potential of Expressive Art Therapy to serve as a valuable tool in occupational stress management strategies, particularly in times of crisis. However, the study acknowledges limitations, including the sample size and the specific focus on women who have opted for this therapy, potentially skewing broader applicability. Future research is recommended to explore Expressive Art Therapy’s efficacy in broader demographic settings and to examine its long-term psychological benefits. This study highlights the need for policy enhancements to integrate creative therapies into workplace mental health programs, thus supporting gender-specific mental health needs during unprecedented times.

Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/ ... sue-12/1011-1031.pdf (application/pdf)
https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/arti ... ssive-art-therapies/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bcp:journl:v:8:y:2024:i:12:p:1011-1031

Access Statistics for this article

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science is currently edited by Dr. Nidhi Malhan

More articles in International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science from International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS)
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Dr. Pawan Verma ().