BACKGROUND RESEARCH
(will be able to fill more of this out when I receive my feedback from the hospital)
COLORS
Research has proven that children show stronger positive emotional associations with bright colors than dark (Boyatzis 1994). Pink, orange, yellow, and blue are colors that have bring out things like happiness, positivity and strength in children. These colors were all colors that I included when creating my products.
GIVING & RECEIVING
Psychiatrist Judith Orloff emphasizes the importance of giving and receiving, and the benefits it can have towards people on both ends (Orloff 2015). Once someone finds something that they are "moved towards," it is about following your heart and spreading positivity, and reversing negative thinking.
STRESS RELIEF
Research has proven a strong correlation between crafts and stress relief and healing when it comes to individuals suffering from pain or illness (Burns & Meer 2020). This correlation has to do with the realization that crafts can inflict on an individual on their own abilities. While my project does not directly act the patients to try crocheting themselves, the informational slip I provide will hopefully encourage some to explore (and possibly attempt) the art. The products themselves may also spark creativity in those who see them.
KEY FINDINGS
While I have not been able to receive my feedback from the nurses at the hospital yet, I have successfully completed the drop off of my stuffed animals, and am looking forward to checking up on the staff to see how the distribution of the products went.
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I plan on displaying the feedback I receive back from the staff on the unit in a way that best highlights the effect of the stuffed animals on the emotional comfort levels of the patients.