Effect of Psychodrama on Communication Skills of Adolescents with Hearing Loss

Abstract

Background and Aim: Adolescents with hearing loss face many communication problems and challenges due to their hearing impairment. This study aimed to investigate the effect of psychodrama on communication skills of adolescents with hearing loss.
 Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study with a pretest/posttest design using a control group. The study population consists of all adolescents with hearing loss aged 12–15 years studying at Naghme School for the Deaf in Yazd, Iran. A total of 24 adolescents were selected using a purposive sampling technique and were randomly assigned into groups of control (n=12) and intervention (n=12). The intervention group received psychodrama at nine sessions of 90 minutes, while the control group received no treatment. The Queendom Communication Skills Test (QCST) was used to collect data. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.
 Results: Psychodrama can improve communication skills of adolescents with hearing loss, which is verbal communication.
 Conclusion: The mean and standard deviation of the pretest QCST score was 78.75±9.4 for the intervention group. After the treatment, the QCST scores was 105.08±6.28 for the intervention group. The results of ANCOVA showed an improvement in Queendom Communication Skills Test scores of adolescents after intervention (p<0.001).
 Keywords: Hearing loss; communication skills; psychodrama

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“…This is consistent with the findings of Jang et al [ 57 ], who discovered that the sociodrama programme improved parent–child communication for mothers of children with neurodevelopmental disorders. In accordance with additional findings [ 51 , 64 , 65 ], participants gained abilities via interpersonal interactions in the dramatic activities.…”

“…Meanwhile, the lack of blinding in outcome assessment led to a high risk classification for one study [ 50 ]. Except for four studies where the information was not reported [ 51 , 60 , 62 , 64 ], all studies were evaluated as low risk for incomplete outcome data due to the low dropout rate throughout the intervention. Regarding selective reporting, seventeen studies were rated as low risk, and the remaining eight studies were judged to be unclear.…”

“…Other forms like theatre performance, playback theatre, theatre of the oppressed, and sociodrama were also included. The included studies found that the psychodrama had a statistically significant beneficial effect on lowering anxiety levels [ 50 , 62 , 74 ] and enhancing communication skills [ 51 , 64 ]. The playback theatre had the greatest effect on psychological well-being [ 58 ].…”

“… Risk of bias summary for each included study [ 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 ]. …”