"The Experience of the Artist as a Parent: A Qualitative Study"
Alexander Stratis
Chair: Danielle Knafo, Ph.D.
Abstract
Artists and their enigmatic lives have intrigued the field of psychology since Sigmund Freud. The majority of the literature about artists focuses on their troubled childhood and development, which is often rife with mental illness, substance abuse, and interpersonal difficulties. In addition, much of the research focuses on the creative process, and how famous artists have approached it. This narrow focus in the literature has overlooked an important role for many artists: their experience as a parent. This qualitative study aimed to investigate this neglected role through the use of group interviews with artists who had or were currently raising children. They were asked to describe their experience as both an artist and a parent. Subjects were recruited and interviewed until the themes that emerged became repetitive, and a comprehensive theoretical framework was created. This highlighted the practical and psychological realities of artists and their children, as well as offered clinical implications for their treatment. The group interview data that comprised the theoretical framework suggested that artist-parents struggle with conflicts that are universal to parents whom are deeply devoted to their work. Additionally, there are specific challenges that are unique to being an artist-parent, which dramatically affect their family systems and the balancing of these two interconnected roles.