Effectiveness of Drama Therapy on Social Skills of Autistic Children

Abstract

Objective: Autism spectrum disorder severely damages children’s social skills, cognitive functions, and emotional self-regulation. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of drama therapy on the social skills of children with high-functioning autism. Methods: The research design was experimental with a pre-test, post-test and a control group. The statistical population included 120 children with high-functioning autism in special education centers in Isfahan City, Iran. For this purpose, 40 children with high-functioning autism disorder were randomly selected by purposive sampling method and using Morgan’s table. Then, they were assigned to the experimental and control groups. The experimental group received a drama therapy program, and the control group was placed on a waiting list. The children’s instructors completed the Matson social skills questionnaire at pre-test, post-test, and follow-up three months later. Results: Analysis of the results using repeated measures analysis of variance showed that the drama therapy was effective on the participants’ social skills in the experimental group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Drama therapy will improve their social skills and performance in this field. Therefore, this study’s findings might be helpful as practical strategies for practitioners in the field of autism.

Behavioral Training of High-Functioning Autistic Children by Music Education of Occupational Therapy

“…In theory, it is learned that music education involves not only music but also philosophy, aesthetics, psychology, and many other disciplines; in practice, there are not only instrument learning but also many music-related social activities [ 5 ]. After a chance encounter with some social activities, it came into contact with “children from the stars” and learned that “children from the stars”, also known as autistic children, are special children [ 6 ]. According to the survey, most of the students in special education schools are mainly visually impaired, hearing impaired, and speech impaired, and most of them need parents to accompany them to help them listen to teachers' instructions [ 7 ].…”

Mengembangkan Bahasa Ekspresif Anak Down Syndrome dengan Pelatihan Dramatherapy

“…Lalu, keterbatasan selanjutnya, yaitu minimnya jumlah dan durasi sesi intervensi yang dapat diberikan. Dari penelitianpenelitian yang menyatakan bahwa kemampuan berbahasa partisipan meningkat secara signifikan, dramatherapy dilakukan lebih dari 10 sesi dan setiap sesinya berdurasi sekitar 90 menit (misalnya, dalam penelitian Pordanjani tahun 2021 [7]). Terakhir, dalam kegiatan ini masih belum adanya alat ukur yang baku sebagai patokan untuk melihat perkembangan bahasa ekspresif anak-anak secara lebih akurat, yang mungkin bisa juga dipakai oleh sekolah-sekolah nantinya, terutama SLB ABCD Caringin Bandung.…”

Enhancing Social Responsiveness in Autism: The Impact of Art Therapy

“…Despite the advancements in art and robot therapy, challenges persist. Pordanjani (2021) notes the slow progression in improving social interactions among autistic children engaged in art therapy, attributing this to emotional instability. This observation underscores the complexity of therapeutic interventions in ASD, highlighting the need for patience and understanding of the individual's emotional landscape (Pordanjani, 2021).…”

“…Pordanjani (2021) notes the slow progression in improving social interactions among autistic children engaged in art therapy, attributing this to emotional instability. This observation underscores the complexity of therapeutic interventions in ASD, highlighting the need for patience and understanding of the individual's emotional landscape (Pordanjani, 2021). Additionally, Redquest et al (2020) discuss the interplay between social and motor deficits in autism, emphasizing the intricate relationship between these areas and the importance of addressing both to effectively improve social responsiveness (Redquest et al, 2020).…”