RESEARCH
The Centre has conducted innovative research in the creative arts therapies and continues to expand the knowledge base in the field of disabilities and neurodivergence, contributing to developing and improving assessments and therapeutic approaches.
Research: a core component of our programs since 1996
Faculty and graduate students from Concordia's Department of Education and the Department of Creative Arts Therapies have conducted research into the efficacy of the creative arts therapies offered to participants. We have also designed and researched assessment tools to work with participants. A three-year grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) was awarded to the Centre to develop assessments in the creative arts therapies. The results from this research have been presented internationally, and spurred the creation of a textbook, Assessment in the Creative Arts Therapies, published in 2009.
The Centre has expertise in conducting ethnodramas as an innovative research method which features a designated clientele using various forms of artistic expression to orient an audience to a better understanding of their lived experience and their challenges. Educational documentaries and an educational toolkit have been produced for use in schools and other public arenas in order to educate the public about disability and neurodivergence.
The Centre has expanded its research into examining the effectiveness of creative arts therapies with children with autism, attracting interest from professionals in the field of autism. The Centre has expertise in conducting ethnodramas as an innovative research method which features the designated clientle using various forms of artistic expression to orient an audience to a better understanding of their lived experience and their challenges.
The Centre continues to expand the use of the creative arts therapies among different clientele.
- Developing a webinar as an extension of our research project Nobody's Perfect, examining how mental health issues impact various clientele. The webinar was showcased at four different sites, including Concordia.
- Publishing findings on the art therapy process and its effectiveness to offer support and interconnection to mothers of children diagnosed with autism.
- Expanding the research gathered from Connections: Community Engagement & Digital Art with a planned publication. View project
- Creating an educational film as an outgrowth of the Parkinson's research project using improvisational dance/movement therapy to improve cognition and balance of those affected. This film is in the process of being widely disseminated at various professional conferences in the fields of medicine and creative arts therapies.
- Responding to the challenges the global pandemic has presented by studying the effectiveness of virtual creative arts therapies with disabled and neurodivergent adults.
As the recipient of the AAMR (now known as the American Association on Intellectual and Development Disabilities) Award for Social Inclusion:
Research and Innovation, the Centre for the Arts in Human Development is a leading organization in research on the intersection of the arts and disability.
Research collaborators
We welcome collaboration with researchers from other departments within Concordia University as well as researchers from other institutions. To discuss possibilities, please contact Dr. Miranda D’Amico at miranda@education.concordia.ca
and Dr. Cynthia Bruce at cynthia.bruce@concordia.ca
