The art of co-creative map-making : an arts-based inquiry in substance abuse counselling
Taponen, Niko (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025120131224
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025120131224
Tiivistelmä
This master’s thesis covers how young people suffering from substance abuse and related problems living in Uusimaa region of Finland experience substance abuse and mental health services in the Helsinki metropolitan area. The first research question sought to find, how do the recovering young adults view the substance abuse services and their accessibility in the Helsinki metropolitan area. Second research question aimed to find out in what ways arts-based, cartography-utilizing approaches may create possibilities to express hard-to-describe phenomena of accessibility.
Out of the six overall participants three co-created an artistic map representing their experiences and emotions about different aspects of aforementioned services. Then they participated in a focus group interview to describe their personal experiences further with other participants.
Data gathered from these two sources was analyzed using thematic analysis and a six-stage phenomenological-hermeneutic model, producing four key themes answering the research questions. These themes include the notion, that substance abuse services provide meaningful physical environment for young people to build communities and trust. Professionals also have a responsibility to establish that trust in low-threshold mental health and substance abuse services when treating clients in acute, stressful situations. Arts-based methods could provide depth and alternative ways to express personal experiences in substance abuse services.
Arts-based mapping of experiences can improve the scope of data collection and create broader narratives than just interviewing. Further research with larger sample sizes could provide even diverse narratives about accessible practices to lower the threshold of substance abuse services.
Out of the six overall participants three co-created an artistic map representing their experiences and emotions about different aspects of aforementioned services. Then they participated in a focus group interview to describe their personal experiences further with other participants.
Data gathered from these two sources was analyzed using thematic analysis and a six-stage phenomenological-hermeneutic model, producing four key themes answering the research questions. These themes include the notion, that substance abuse services provide meaningful physical environment for young people to build communities and trust. Professionals also have a responsibility to establish that trust in low-threshold mental health and substance abuse services when treating clients in acute, stressful situations. Arts-based methods could provide depth and alternative ways to express personal experiences in substance abuse services.
Arts-based mapping of experiences can improve the scope of data collection and create broader narratives than just interviewing. Further research with larger sample sizes could provide even diverse narratives about accessible practices to lower the threshold of substance abuse services.