The Use of Role Theory to Build Identity in Adolescents

Author

Jordan Crawford, Lesley UniversityFollow

Date of Award

Spring 5-19-2018

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

MA - Master of Arts

Department

Expressive Therapies

Advisor

Elizabeth Kellogg

Abstract

This paper discusses how role theory introduced through the arts can aide adolescents in understanding the many parts of their own identity. The research focuses on the idea that through strengths based identity building, teens can increase their self-knowledge and self-esteem which will in turn decrease the chances for each individual developing symptoms of anxiety and depression. Relevant literature and research were used in order to develop evidence based expressive art therapy interventions to further explore identity using a strengths based approach. The intervention was introduced to an adolescent client who has a diagnosis of adjustment disorder with anxiety and depressed mood. The session focused on building identity by utilizing music, visual art, and creative writing through the lens of drama therapy’s role theory and expressive art therapy’s crystallization theory.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Crawford, Jordan, "The Use of Role Theory to Build Identity in Adolescents" (2018). Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses. 62.
https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/expressive_theses/62