This graduate research study explored the effectiveness of adapting a traditional art directive of mandalas for use with individuals of Chamorro descent to develop positive identification with Chamorro native heritage. Fifty participants participated in the study; the majority were females who resided on the island of Guam; a US territory. Almost half of the participants indicated a positive increase in their identification with Chamorro native heritage after creating their own sea turtle mandala artwork. Data findings from the Chamorro cultural questionnaires indicated specific words, namely ‘Family/Familia’, ‘Food’, and ‘Respect’ as strongly associated with Chamorro culture. Additionally, said words were used frequently by the participants within their artwork. Analysis from 24 submitted artwork indicated ‘Trees and Flora’ as the dominant symbol category. Findings from this study contribute to the growing archive of culturally based research with indigenous populations residing in the contiguous forty-eight states, the non-contiguous states, and territories of the US.
","abstract_html":"<p>This graduate research study explored the effectiveness of adapting a traditional art directive of mandalas for use with individuals of Chamorro descent to develop positive identification with Chamorro native heritage. Fifty participants participated in the study; the majority were females who resided on the island of Guam; a US territory. Almost half of the participants indicated a positive increase in their identification with Chamorro native heritage after creating their own sea turtle mandala artwork. Data findings from the Chamorro cultural questionnaires indicated specific words, namely ‘Family/Familia’, ‘Food’, and ‘Respect’ as strongly associated with Chamorro culture. Additionally, said words were used frequently by the participants within their artwork. Analysis from 24 submitted artwork indicated ‘Trees and Flora’ as the dominant symbol category. Findings from this study contribute to the growing archive of culturally based research with indigenous populations residing in the contiguous forty-eight states, the non-contiguous states, and territories of the US.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["San Nicolas, Aaron"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy","degree_level":"Master's Thesis","degree_discipline":"Art Therapy","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Amy Backos, PhD, ATR-BC","Louvenia Jackson, PhD, ATR-BC"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2016,"date_issued":"2016-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2016-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:04:51Z","subjects":["Art Therapy","Chamorro Native Heritage","Cultural Identity","Intergenerational Trauma","Art and Design","Counseling Psychology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholar.dominican.edu/art-therapy-electronic-theses-2015-2021/11","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Amy Backos, PhD, ATR-BC","Louvenia Jackson, PhD, ATR-BC"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["San Nicolas, Aaron"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Art Therapy"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Master's Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Art Therapy","Chamorro Native Heritage","Cultural Identity","Intergenerational Trauma","Art and Design","Counseling Psychology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholar.dominican.edu/art-therapy-electronic-theses-2015-2021/11"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This graduate research study explored the effectiveness of adapting a traditional art directive of mandalas for use with individuals of Chamorro descent to develop positive identification with Chamorro native heritage. Fifty participants participated in the study; the majority were females who resided on the island of Guam; a US territory. Almost half of the participants indicated a positive increase in their identification with Chamorro native heritage after creating their own sea turtle mandala artwork. Data findings from the Chamorro cultural questionnaires indicated specific words, namely ‘Family/Familia’, ‘Food’, and ‘Respect’ as strongly associated with Chamorro culture. Additionally, said words were used frequently by the participants within their artwork. Analysis from 24 submitted artwork indicated ‘Trees and Flora’ as the dominant symbol category. Findings from this study contribute to the growing archive of culturally based research with indigenous populations residing in the contiguous forty-eight states, the non-contiguous states, and territories of the US.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Mandalas and cultural identity: Increasing positive identification with Chamorro native heritage"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Amy Backos, PhD, ATR-BC","Louvenia Jackson, PhD, ATR-BC"],"dc:creator":["San Nicolas, Aaron"],"dc:description.abstract":["This graduate research study explored the effectiveness of adapting a traditional art directive of mandalas for use with individuals of Chamorro descent to develop positive identification with Chamorro native heritage. Fifty participants participated in the study; the majority were females who resided on the island of Guam; a US territory. Almost half of the participants indicated a positive increase in their identification with Chamorro native heritage after creating their own sea turtle mandala artwork. Data findings from the Chamorro cultural questionnaires indicated specific words, namely ‘Family/Familia’, ‘Food’, and ‘Respect’ as strongly associated with Chamorro culture. Additionally, said words were used frequently by the participants within their artwork. Analysis from 24 submitted artwork indicated ‘Trees and Flora’ as the dominant symbol category. Findings from this study contribute to the growing archive of culturally based research with indigenous populations residing in the contiguous forty-eight states, the non-contiguous states, and territories of the US.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholar.dominican.edu/art-therapy-electronic-theses-2015-2021/11"],"dc:subject":["Art Therapy","Chamorro Native Heritage","Cultural Identity","Intergenerational Trauma","Art and Design","Counseling Psychology"],"dc:title":["Mandalas and cultural identity: Increasing positive identification with Chamorro native heritage"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Art Therapy"],"thesis:degree_level":["Master's Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:04:51Z"}