عنوان

African American Sexually Abused Women and the Use of Praise and Worship Dance as a Therapeutic Healing Modality:

TLpq2403114470

انگلیسی

African American Sexually Abused Women and the Use of Praise and Worship Dance as a Therapeutic Healing Modality:

[Thesis]

Gilmore, Tiffany Daonne

A Qualitative, Phenomenological Study

Sparks, Cheryl

Eastern University

2020

168

Ph.D.

Eastern University

2020

Sexual assault continues to be a global epidemic and has persisted in American society. The subjugation, oppression, and racism experienced by African American women throughout the history of the United States has made this population extremely vulnerable to sexual victimization. While researchers have increasingly investigated alternative treatment modalities such as dance movement therapy for women with sexual abuse histories, there is a dearth of literature that investigates praise/worship dance as a method of healing for Black women. Given the prevalence and impact of sexual victimization on African American women, and the role of faith practices to promote healing in African American communities, this qualitative phenomenological study attempted to investigate and understand the healing components of praise/worship dance that impact women of color with a history of sexual trauma. Eleven African American women with histories of sexual abuse participated in semi-structured interviews whereby four themes emerged: (a) Emotional experiences of praise/worship dance include a sense of freedom in alignment with God's will, (b) Spiritual Experience of Praise/Worship Dance is One of Intimacy with God, (c) Social Experience of Praise Dance includes Camaraderie, Trust, and Reaching out to Others, and (d) Physical Experiences of Praise/Worship Dance Include Healing Through the Mind-Body Connection and Reclamation of the Body. Findings suggest participants perceive praise/worship dance as having a therapeutic benefit in their physical, emotional, social, and spiritual domains.

African American

Dance movement therapy

Marriage and family

Praise dance

Sexual abuse

Trauma

Gilmore, Tiffany Daonne

Sparks, Cheryl

p

[Thesis]

276903

a

Y