NCJ Number
66156
Journal
YOUTH AUTHORITY QUARTERLY Volume: 32 Issue: 4 Dated: (WINTER 1979) Pages: 9-13
Date Published
1979
Length
5 pages
Annotation
PSYCHODRAMA AS A MEANS OF MODIFYING JUVENILE DEVIANT BEHAVIOR IS DISCUSSED.
Abstract
PSYCHODRAMA IS DESIGNED TO APPROXIMATE REAL LIFE PROBLEM SITUATIONS AND DEVELOP NEW PERSPECTIVES AND BEHAVIORS FOR SOLVING THEM. THROUGH ROLE PLAYING, CLIENTS ACT OUT AND VERBALIZE THEIR CONFLICTS AND FRUSTRATIONS, WITH FEEDBACK PROVIDED BY PEER OBSERVERS. PSYCHODRAMA IS PARTICULARLY WELL-SUITED FOR DELINQUENT ADOLESCENT POPULATIONS BECAUSE OF THEIR HIGH INVOLVEMENT IN STEREOTYPED ROLE PLAYING (ALBEIT NEGATIVE ROLES), WHICH PROVIDES A KEY TO THERAPY BY MEANS OF PSYCHODRAMA. BECAUSE PSYCHODRAMA IS PRESENTED AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO 'ACT' IN A SAFE, PERMISSIVE SETTING, IT IS PERCEIVED AS LESS THREATENING THAN REGULAR GROUP THERAPY. CARPENTER AND SANDBERG (1973) FOUND THE APPLICATION OF PSYCHODRAMA TECHNIQUES TO YOUNG OFFENDERS BENEFICIAL FOR INCREASING THEIR EMPATHY, IMPROVING THEIR COMMUNICATION SKILLS WITH PEERS, ENHANCING THEIR CONTACT WITH THEIR EMOTIONS AND RESPONSE TO THEM, AND ENCOURAGING THE ACTING-OUT OF NEGATIVE IMPULSES IN FANTASY RATHER THAN REAL LIFE BEHAVIOR. IN THE AUTHOR'S WORK WITH JUVENILE DELINQUENTS, PSYCHODRAMA WAS SUCCESSFULLY USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS AND GESTALT THERAPY TO GET A CLIENT STARTED IN THERAPY. PSYCHODRAMA ALSO PROVIDES FOR INTERACTION WITH A FEEDBACK FROM PEERS, WHICH NOT ONLY AIDS THE PROTAGONIST IN GROWTH EXPERIENCES BUT ALSO THE MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE. PSYCHODRAMA TECHNIQUES ARE DESCRIBED, AND A BRIEF CASE STUDY OF ITS SUCCESSFUL USE WITH A JUVENILE OFFENDER IS PRESENTED. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)