This study presents an art therapy program that incorporates museum art appreciation and modified studio process for women with breast cancer at Taipei Fine Arts Museum in Taiwan. Two research questions are inquired for this study:(1)What is the experience of women with breast cancer participating in a museum-based art education-therapy program?(2)In what way does the museum-based art education-therapy program assist women with breast cancer in introspection and know about themselves related to their after-cancer lives?
In this study, ethnographic methods are used to evaluate the perceptions of the participants and the quality of the program. Phenomenological methods gathering data through lengthy interviews are also employed to collect 10 participants' perceptions of their experiences.
The findings of how these women with breast cancer responded to the museum trips, studio process and their verbal accounts regarding this research project are:
1.Most participants stated that they were respected in the process; developed interests in art; liked the leadership, felt safe to talk about themselves in the group.
2. Most of them also acknowledged the benefit of participating in the program which included feeling relax, understanding more about themselves and the arts, gaining access to the museum resource, assisting in self-growth.
3. Participants also could share similarities and appreciate differences between themselves and others through discussing, writting and listening to others' sharing. Making response art is useful to gain better insight into participants' museum experience. Structured museum/art activities can fulfill the participants' need in learning and personal growth.
The study concludes that art therapy can help those survivors with breast cancer to explore and express self through a creative process. There is a nice chance to introduce the good container, an art museum, for those survivors with breast cancer to learn, reflect, discover and find new meanings through building a safe relationship with art works or environments. Making response art is useful to gain better insight into participants' museum experience. Finally, structured museum/art activities can fulfill the participants' need in learning and personal growth.