Skip to content
1981
Volume 16, Issue 1
  • ISSN: 2040-2457
  • E-ISSN: 2040-2465

Abstract

This art-based research explored previous qualitative data about attitudes and perspectives on dis/abilities in drama therapy through the lens of four dis/ability models: the moral model, the medical model, the social model and the disability justice model, via poetic inquiry. In line with working through an emancipatory educational action research framework, the authors engaged with the previous research in a deconstructivist way, both individually and as a group, to derive new meaning from the text. The outcome of this inquiry resulted in four blackout poems, one representing each dis/ability model considered. Support for art-based inquiry of qualitative data is discussed, as well as the importance of disrupting the systems we work within by exploring them via perceptual and kinaesthetic means.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1386/jaah_00191_1
2025-05-28
2026-04-21

Metrics

Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Bailey, Sally (2010), Barrier-Free Theater: Including Everyone in Theater Arts – In Schools, Recreation, and Arts Programs – Regardless of (Dis)ability, Washington, DC: Idyll Arbor.
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Charlton, James (1998), Nothing About Us Without Us: Disability Oppression and Empowerment, Oakland, CA: University of California Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Cook, Angelle (2021), ‘A post-intentional phenomenological investigation of inclusivity in a therapeutic theatre production’, Drama Therapy Review, 7:2, pp. 16991, https://doi.org/10.1386/dtr_00072_1.
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Cook, Angelle, Young, Kelly, McFann, Caitlin and Angier, Marie (2022), ‘Examining drama therapy practices through the lens of dis/abled-clinicians- in-training’, Drama Therapy Review, 8:2, pp. 27380, https://doi.org/10.1386/dtr_00110_7.
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Dokter, Ditty, Lea-Weston, Lisa and Thornewood, Tara (2023), ‘Waving and drowning: The gradations of therapist fitness to practise’, Dramatherapy, 44:1, pp. 717, https://doi.org/10.1177/02630672231171326.
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Doria, Cassandra, McFann, Caitlin, Hitt, Turner, Young, Kelly and Cook, Angelle (2023), ‘Building an equitable research framework with dis/abled participants: Participatory action research and drama therapy’, in S. B. Barret (ed.), People with Disabilities: Perceptions, Stigmas and Stereotypes, New York: Nova Science Publishers, pp. 199218.
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Faulkner, Sandra (2005), ‘How do you know a good poem? Poetic representation and the case for criteria’, First International Conference of Qualitive Inquiry, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 5–7 May.
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Foster, Jay Jackson, Deafenbaugh, Linda and Miller, Elizabeth (2018), ‘Group metaphor map making: Application to integrated arts-based focus groups’, Qualitative Social Work, 17:2, pp. 30522.
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Glick, Shoshana (2024), ‘Drama therapy for all: A call towards universal design in training and practice’, Drama Therapy Review, Special Issue: ‘Disability, Chronic Illness and Debility Justice in Drama Therapy: Global-Political Perspectives’, 10:1, pp. 1318, https://doi.org/10.1386/dtr_00143_1.
    [Google Scholar]
  10. Goodley, Daniel and Runswick-Cole, Katherine (2016), ‘Becoming dishuman: Thinking about the human through dis/ability’, Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 37:1, pp. 115, https://doi.org/10.1080/01596306.2014.930021.
    [Google Scholar]
  11. Hitt, Turner, Doria, Cassandra, McFann, Caitlin, Young, Kelly, Cook, Angelle, Anghel, Ella, Salituro, Becky and Windle, Taylor (2024), ‘Drama therapists’ attitudes and perspectives regarding dis/ability: A community survey’, Arts in Psychotherapy, 91, pp. 113, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2024.102216.
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Hodermarska, Maria, Duke, Marielle and Hodeib, Lynn (2024), ‘How might we begin to explore a version of drama therapy that celebrates disability?’, Drama Therapy Review, Special Issue: ‘Disability, Chronic Illness and Debility Justice in Drama Therapy: Global-Political Perspectives’, 10:1, pp. 311, https://doi.org/10.1386/dtr_00142_2.
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Hodermarska, Maria, Stevens, Adam, Johnson, Jadae, Jones, Ethan, Manzi, Michael and McGowan, Sean (2021), ‘Disability justice: Drama therapy as collective liberation’, in R. Parasuram and S. Parasuraman (eds), Artability: Creative Arts and Disabilities, New York: Notion Press, pp. 182203.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Invisible Disabilities Association (2023), ‘What is an invisible disability?’, https://invisibledisabilities.org/what-is-an-invisible-disability. Accessed 20 February 2025.
  15. Keeling, Rachel (2023), ‘Translucence and non-visible disability: The development of a disabled dramatherapist’, Dramatherapy, 44:1, pp. 5163, https://doi.org/10.1177/02630672231187968.
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Kleon, Austin (2010), Newspaper Blackout, New York: Harper Perennial.
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Kinsler, Kimberly (2016), ‘The utility of educational action research for emancipatory change’, in P. H. Hinchey (ed.), A Critical Action Research Reader, vol. 433, New York: Peter Lang, pp. 2738, https://doi.org/10.3726/978-1-4539-1621-6.
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Leavy, Patricia (2015), Method Meets Art: Arts-Based Research Practice, 2nd ed., New York: Guilford Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Leavy, Patricia (2018), ‘Introduction to arts-based research’, in P. Leavy (ed.), Handbook of Arts-Based Research, New York: Guilford Press, pp. 321.
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Machado, Silvio (2018), ‘Interpretive poetry and the family coming out crisis’, Qualitative Inquiry, 25:9–10, pp. 85161, https://doi.org/10.1177/1077800418786317.
    [Google Scholar]
  21. Mayor, Christine (2020), ‘Embodied tableaux: A drama method for social work arts-based research’, Qualitative Social Work, 19:5–6, pp. 104060, https://doi.org/10.1177/1473325020923000.
    [Google Scholar]
  22. McFann, Caitlin, Doria, Cassandra, Young, Kelly, Hitt, Turner and Cook, Angelle (2024), ‘Drama therapy, academia and dis/ability: Experiences of clinicians in training’, Drama Therapy Review, 10:1, pp. 6387, https://doi.org/10.1386/dtr_00146_1.
    [Google Scholar]
  23. McNiff, Shaun (2008), ‘Art-based research’, in J. G. Knowles and A. L. Cole (eds), Handbook of the Arts in Qualitative Research: Perspectives, Methodologies, Examples, and Issues, Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, pp. 2940.
    [Google Scholar]
  24. Musicka-Williams, Amanda (2018), ‘Offering space for choice and voice: Participant assent as a creative workshop informed by dramatherapy practice’, Creative Arts in Education and Therapy, 4:2, pp. 20613, https://doi.org/10.15212/caet/2018/4/31.
    [Google Scholar]
  25. Musicka-Williams, Amanda (2020), ‘“We copy to join in, to not be lonely”: Adolescents in special education reflect on using dramatic imitation in group dramatherapy to enhance relational connection and belonging’, Frontiers in Psychology, 11, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.588650.
    [Google Scholar]
  26. Parsons, Linda and Pinkerton, Lisa (2022), ‘Poetry and prose as methodology: A synergy of knowing’, Methodological Innovations, 15:2, pp. 11826, https://doi.org/10.1177/20597991221087150.
    [Google Scholar]
  27. Phillips, Tom (1970), A Humument, Provence: Tetrad Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  28. Richards, Elizabeth (2023), ‘Thriving with chronic pain: A newly qualified Dramatherapist’s journey towards learning their body’s language’, Dramatherapy, 44:1, pp. 4150, https://doi.org/10.1177/02630672231176684.
    [Google Scholar]
  29. Sajnani, Nisha (ed.) (2024), Drama Therapy Review, Special Issue:Disability, Chronic Illness and Debility Justice in Drama Therapy: Global–Political Perspectives’, 10:1.
    [Google Scholar]
  30. Sayre, Dana (2022), ‘Care work and social justice in creative arts therapy: Putting queer performance theory and disability justice in conversation with drama therapy’, Arts in Psychotherapy, 80, pp. 16, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2022.101940.
    [Google Scholar]
  31. Sayre, Dana, Duke, Marielle and Way, Courtney (2024), ‘Navigating disability justice in the world of drama therapy: A roundtable’, Drama Therapy Review, 10:1, pp. 89103, https://doi.org/10.1386/dtr_00147_7.
    [Google Scholar]
  32. Shakespeare, Tom (2013), Disability Rights and Wrongs Revisited, London: Routledge.
    [Google Scholar]
  33. Shashwati, Sudha, Kansal, Preksha and Sethi, Deisha (2022), ‘Exploring artistic representations in psychological research: A step-by-step guide for using found poetry’, The Qualitative Report, 27:8, pp. 162137, https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2022.5446.
    [Google Scholar]
  34. Sinding, Christina and Barnes, Hazel (2015), Social Work Artfully: Beyond Borders and Boundaries, Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  35. Sins Invalid (2015), ‘10 principles of disability justice’, Sins Invalid, n.d., https://www.sinsinvalid.org/blog/10-principles-of-disability-justice. Accessed 22 March 2025.
  36. Snow, Stephen, D’Amico, Miranda, Mongerson, Eric, Anthony, Elizabeth, Rozenberg, Mira, Opoiko, Christina and Anandampillai, Sayam (2017), ‘Ethnodramatherapy applied in a project focusing on the lives of adults with developmental disabilities, especially romance, intimacy and sexuality’, Drama Therapy Review, 3:2, pp. 24160.
    [Google Scholar]
  37. Southern, Hayley and Smail, Mary (2023), ‘Giving voice: Dramatherapists with disabilities and illnesses’, Dramatherapy, 44:1, pp. 36, https://doi.org/10.1177/02630672231189817.
    [Google Scholar]
  38. World Health Organization (2023), Disability, World Health Organization, 7 March, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/disability-and-health. Accessed 29 April 2025.
    [Google Scholar]
  39. Zoeglossia (2023), ‘Zoeglossia’, https://www.zoeglossia.org. Accessed 21 March 2025.
/content/journals/10.1386/jaah_00191_1
Loading
/content/journals/10.1386/jaah_00191_1
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a success
Invalid data
An error occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error
Please enter a valid_number test