Exploration Of Cultural Humility In Medical Art Therapy

The predominant medical model prioritizes physical conditions and often overlooks cultural identities and psychological needs of patients, which are necessary considerations for implementation of holistic treatment. Several studies have demonstrated the benefit of cultural humility in healthcare, but no research was conducted within medical art therapy. This study aimed to address the gap in the literature by exploring cultural humility practices in medical art therapy. Medical art therapists were recruited to participate in this study through convenience and snowball sampling methods. Using exploratory multiple-case study methodology, four participants completed a semi-structured interview, which included visual elicitation and verbal interview components. Results were analyzed through cross-case analysis. Assertions found across cases reflected participants’ practices of cultural humility within their work as medical art therapists. These included: awareness of self in relation to others, collaborative relationship with patients, and consideration of art therapy within larger systems. Implications of these results include suggestions for better integration of components of cultural humility into clinical practice, greater inclusion of multiculturalism into art therapy education, and increased involvement of medical art therapists in advocacy.