Body Mapping in a Drug and Alcohol Treatment Program: Eliciting New Identity and Experience

Sophia Macken, Sally Nathan, Michelle Jersky, Katherine M. Boydell and Alexandra Gibson
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Sophia Macken: School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney 2052, Australia
Sally Nathan: School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney 2052, Australia
Michelle Jersky: Sydney Children’s Hospital Network, Sydney 2031, Australia
Katherine M. Boydell: Black Dog Institute, Sydney 2031, Australia
Alexandra Gibson: School of Health, Victoria University of Wellington-Te Herenga Waka, 6012 Wellington, New Zealand

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 9, 1-15

Abstract: Arts-based approaches have not been widely used in the drug and alcohol treatment sector. In this study, we examined the utility of the arts-based method of Body Mapping in an Australian residential treatment centre. Two workshops were held to explore young people’s strengths and support networks in order to improve understandings of young people’s lives, identities and experiences of treatment. Semi-structured follow-up interviews were conducted and triangulated with observational notes and staff interviews. We identified four major themes: engaging through art; removing the mask; revealing strengths; and a sense of achievement. Overall, this study highlighted the value of Body Mapping as an approach to engage with young people, providing rich in-depth data about their lived experiences, including in the alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment context.

Keywords: Body Mapping; drug and alcohol residential treatment; arts-based methods (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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