Art-Based Learning in Palliative Care: Interviewing Patients on Facilitating Resonance Experiences
Theme: Personalizing care
Type of research: Qualitative empirical
Description:
We are looking for students to contribute to a research project on Art-Based Learning (ABL) in palliative care for people living with incurable cancer. ABL is a guided art-viewing method that invites participants to engage attentively with an artwork and explore associations, personal questions, and possible new perspectives. A central theoretical concept in the study is resonance (Rosa, 2019): an experience in which an encounter with an artwork touches or moves someone, invites a personal response, and may open new perspectives. Although resonance cannot be forced or produced on demand, facilitators can help create supportive conditions in which it may arise.
The study examines how ABL sessions can be tailored to the diverse needs of people receiving outpatient palliative care at Amsterdam UMC. Participants will take part in a guided session lasting approximately one hour, followed by an interview. The research aims to identify dynamics that may support or hinder resonance, focusing on how facilitators attune their behaviour and attitude to individual participants and how practical variations—including the duration, location, pace, and format of a session—shape participants’ experiences.
The project uses an iterative participatory action research approach. Observations, interviews, and preliminary analyses are used to reflect on each round of sessions and make carefully considered adjustments to subsequent sessions. In this way, the study develops through repeated cycles of action, reflection, and refinement.
We will use interviews with participants as well as three focus groups: one with ABL facilitators, one with people living with incurable cancer who have participated in ABL, and one with professional stakeholders from the arts and healthcare. These focus groups will help interpret the emerging findings, identify ethical and practical considerations, and refine recommendations for future ABL facilitation and training. Students will therefore gain experience not only in interviewing and qualitative analysis, but also in collaborative and participatory research.
See www.artbasedlearningincare.com for more information about the overarching project.
Who are we looking for?
Students should:
- speak Dutch fluently;
- be available to travel to Amsterdam approximately 10–15 times for in-person interviews and focus groups;
- have strong interpersonal and communication skills;
- be able to engage sensitively and respectfully with people living with incurable illness;
- have an interest in qualitative research, psychology, healthcare, the arts, or related fields.
What do we offer?
· experience conducting qualitative research;
· training and supervision in interviewing and qualitative analysis;
· the opportunity to contribute to an innovative research project at the intersection of art, psychology, narrative medicine, and palliative care.