PHOENIX Erasmus +: Erasmus Mundus

Research topic:

Dissertation Title: Art Intervention with children 7-18 years of age coping with a chronic disease at the Hospital Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal (thalassemia, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, sickle cells, epilepsy)

The nature of chronic disease is one that exerts a heavy physical and psychological impact on the patients. The purpose of this project is to examine coping mechanisms used in children and adolescents with chronic disease and generate new positive coping strategies while implementing art therapy intervention. The theoretical framework meets the theoretical model of Lazarus and Folkman (1984) defining the concept of "coping strategies"
Art-based therapy interventions are considered a favorable tool for helping children coping with chronic disease as the approach: (a) supports children's cognitive ability to understand their experiences; and (b) assist in the externalization of subjective meaning related to experience. A multi-method, qualitative approach is used to address the unique context of this inquiry and incorporate theoretical methodologies from case studies and art intervention, specific symbolic constructivism. Inclusion criteria are children 7-18 years of age with chronic disease (epilepsy, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, asthma, etc. ) who are hospitalized or have regular checkups at the hospital Santa Maria, Portugal.

Academic Degree/Area:

• October 2013 - Continuing
  Doctoral Candidate
  Phoenix EM "Dynamics of Health and Welfare"
  Escola National des Saude Pública (ENSP) Lisbon, Portugal
  

• March 2014 - August2014
  Main University
  

• October 2015
  Linköping University Linköping, Sweden
  

• May 2015 – November 2015
  Internship at Pediatric Department & Consulta de Desenvolvimento
  Hospital Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal
  

• July 2012
  Bachelor of Science
  Economic University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania
  Major: Financial Economy
  

• July 2011
  Master of Science
  Social Sciences University of Tirana, Tirana, AlbaniaMajor: Psychology
  Graduation Thesis: Children coping with parent diagnosed with cancer
  

• July 2009
  Bachelor of Science
  Social Sciences University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania
  Major: Psychology
  Honors Thesis: Non verbal communication of a political leader
  

Publications:

1. 22nd IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion  (Curitiba, Brazil). Art Therapy intervention with children 7-18 years old coping with a chronic disease (Asthma, Cystic Fybrosis, Diabetes, Epilepsy), May 2016
2. Changing World Conference (Vienna, Austria). "AppleDoc" introduction to a new revolutionary computerized art therapy for children coping with a chronic disease, November 2015
3. 4th World Conference on Design and Arts Conference (Saint Petersburg, Russia). "Person Picking an Apple From the Tree (PPAT): Art therapy with children coping with a chronic disease", June 2015
   http://www.awer-center.org/abstracts/DAE-2015%20Abstracts%20Book.pdf
4. Trauma, theory and practice Conference (Lisbon, Portugal). "Art therapy detects catastrophizing thoughts and trauma narrative in children coping with a chronic disease", March 2015
   http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/at-the-interface/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/GKulari-trauma5-dpaper.pdf
5. International Journal of Arts and Science (Boston, MA, Harvard Medical School). "Art therapy with children 7-12 years of age coping with a chronic disease", May 2014
   https://ijas2014harvard.sched.org/event/1fKH4A8/children-5-10-years-of-age-coping-with-a-chronic-disease-in-albania-diabetes-epilepsy-and-hemophilia
6. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences (Tirana, Albania). Kulari, G. (July 2012). "Children 7-9 years of age coping with a parent diagnosed with cancer", Mediterranean Journal of Social Science, Vol. 3 (10), p. 191-198.  March 2012
   http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download;jsessionid=DD3DD1233CD5546A201202DDC9336414?doi=10.1.1.656.204&rep=rep1&type=pdf