| Abstract [eng] |
Title of the Thesis: Experiencing Fears Related to Childbirth in Pregnant Women in the Process of Art Therapy Relevance of the topic. In practice, prenatal care is primarily focused on medical aspects, while insufficient attention is still given to pregnant women’s emotional experiences and childbirth-related fears. Fear of childbirth experienced during pregnancy is a common phenomenon and has been associated in the scientific literature with adverse consequences for women’s psychological well-being, childbirth outcomes, and the postpartum period. In light of this, there is a need to explore non-pharmacological interventions for pregnant women experiencing childbirth-related fears, one of which may be art therapy. Objective: To review the scientific literature on fear of childbirth and the possibilities of applying art therapy in this context, and to explore pregnant women’s subjective experiences of childbirth-related fears in the process of art therapy. Participants: Three women aged 34–41 in the third trimester of pregnancy. Methodology: This study employed a qualitative research strategy. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, alongside participants’ drawings, written and verbal reflections, and the researcher’s notes as supplementary data sources. Verbal data (participants’ interviews) were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke), while visual data (drawings) were examined through multimodal analysis. Results: Childbirth-related fears emerged as a changing emotional process – inductive thematic analysis revealed their progression from initial denial, resistance, or vague anxiety toward greater recognition and identification of fears. The art therapy process provided an opportunity for better self-understanding, increased awareness of childbirth-related fears, and the expression of emotions that were more difficult to verbalize. The significance of group art therapy also emerged – experiences of togetherness and emotional support helped normalize childbirth-related fears and strengthened feelings of safety and inner empowerment. Analysis of participants’ visual artworks and verbal reflections revealed that the experience of childbirth-related fears among pregnant women was expressed through the following aspects of visual expression: contrasting colors, intense line work, fragmented and angular forms, symbolic elements representing “sleeping–awakened” fears, the use of natural symbols and paired elements, as well as changes in visual expression reflecting growing inner stability and a calmer relationship with the approaching childbirth. |
