ACTING OUT: AN INDICATION FOR PSYCHODRAMA

Abstract

Since its introduction into the United States in 1925, psychodrama has proven itself to be an efficacious therapy in the treatment of many diverse psychiatric illnesses. The current study supports the belief that it is a specific therapeutic tool having marked effectiveness in changing the acting- out behavior of adolescents and young adults.

The study presented here involved 10 college students who were rated as poor candidates for individual psychotherapy because of their severe, repetitive "acting-out" behavior. Some of these patients had previously been treated with conventional group therapy not involving psychodrama, and had shown little or no change in symptoms. While the members chosen for this group varied in regard to their interpersonal sensitivity to others (as measured by the inferred meanings test), the nature of their presenting problems and the type of acting-out behavior present all showed inadequate role behavior and ineffective communication.