ABSTRACT
The final chapter of this book helps graduate art therapy educators and students in the US ensure they are meeting the education standards and guidelines pertaining to research put forward by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). Research course objectives in graduate art therapy programs typically include research concepts as applied to the profession and contextualize these in the broader sphere of mental health. Section I of this chapter, “The Research Proposal,” details the development of a sound art therapy research proposal (the introduction, the literature review, and the methods or procedures). Section II,“Completing the Research Report,” focuses on writing up Chapter IV (Results) and Chapter V (Discussion). Finally, as an aid to educators, students, and practitioner-researchers, this chapter culminates with Section III, “How to Conduct an Art Therapy Research Study (and Judge its Quality,” which offers a practical, step-by-step guide to this process). Topics unique to art therapy research and study quality are discussed. Techniques for optimal teaching and learning of each unit are suggested, with references to the book’s supplemental materials.
