Creating an Evidence Base for Social Work, Group Work, and Psychodrama

Abstract

This chapter is devoted to outlining the research literature of psychodrama and group therapy. Evidence-based practice trends and their impact on practice in the field of social work are described. Psychodrama is also framed within the research bases of the humanistic-experiential psychotherapies, creative arts therapies, and body- and movement-oriented therapies. While the quality and quantity of research available on the effectiveness of psychodrama are limited, current findings support its use to as a treatment for various mental health conditions. Shortcomings and critiques of research in psychodrama are included while indicating a need for higher quality psychodrama research studies. The research history of psychodrama’s founder, Jacob Moreno, is also described to provide insight on psychodrama’s historical relationship to research.

Evidence-based practice at the centre of paradigm shift in social work?

“…Empirical Clinical Practice -ECP) (Okpych & Yu, 2014), а која је потом -кроз транспрофесионални подстицај који је дошао из медицине засноване на доказима -ревитализована (Thyer & Myers, 2011). Покрет ЕCP је започео крајем 1960-их година, подстакнут евалуативним студијама које су указале на неделотворност, чак штетност, одређених интервенција социјалног рада (Fisher, 1973(Fisher, , 1978Giacomucci, 2021;Okpych & Yu, 2014). Као одговор на ову "кризу ефективности", формулисан је захтев за пружањем ефективних и ефикасних интервенција и услуга, које почивају на провереним научним сазнањима.…”

“…Ови кључни догађаји илуструју период "нормалне науке" у коме је до средине 2000-их (Giacomucci, 2021) у оквиру глобалне заједнице стручњака постојао консензус о томе да ЕБП треба да буде мерило етичне, делотворне и ефикасне професионалне праксе у социјалном раду или онога што је Кун означавао као "некритична пракса". Она је обезбедила заједнички оквир, који је обухватао како филозофије праксе и политика, тако и процесе и процедуре за имплементацију датих вредности, метода и техника у областима праксе, науке, образовања, политика и администрације (Gambrill, 2008).…”

“…EBP represents the current manifestation of this modernist tendency, which first appeared in the form of the Empirical Clinical Practice (ECP) movement (Okpych & Yu, 2014), and which was then -through the trans-professional stimulus coming from evidencebased medicine -revitalized (Thyer & Myers, 2011). The ECP movement started in the late 1960s, spurred by evaluative studies that pointed to the ineffectiveness, even harm, of certain social work interventions (Fisher, 1973(Fisher, , 1978Giacomucci, 2021;Okpych & Yu, 2014). In response to this "crisis of effectiveness", a demand was formulated for providing effective and efficient interventions and services, based on verified scientific knowledge.…”

“…These key events illustrate the period of "normal science" in which, until the mid-2000s (Giacomucci, 2021), there was a consensus within the global community of professionals that EBP should be a measure of ethical, effective, and efficient professional practice in social work, or what Kuhn referred to as "uncritical practice". It provided a common framework, encompassing both philosophies of practice and politics, as well as processes and procedures for implementing given values, methods, and techniques in the fields of practice, science, education, politics, and administration (Gambrill, 2008).…”

Psychodrama & eudaimonic well-being – potentials in playful and aesthetic experiences

“…Conceptional frameworks for understanding how aesthetic experiences and engagement in the arts are linked to well-being are being developed, but there is, as we see it, a need for more empirical studies that can explicate and clarify the relationship between psychodrama and well-being both with reference to theory and lived experience. The need for a more process-oriented focus and more empirical studies is also addressed by other psychodrama researchers (de Witte et al, 2021;Giacomucci, 2021a). This article attempts to respond to these needs by exploring the following question: How might engagement in psychodrama practice promote eudaimonic well-being?…”