Implementation of drama therapy services in the North American school system: Responses from the field

Abstract

Drama therapy is an emerging mental health practice in North American schools. Yet little research has focused directly on the role of drama therapists in schools or their service navigation practices and challenges. From February to July of 2018, drama therapists affiliated with the North American Drama Therapy Association currently working in North American schools were invited to participate in an online Qualtrics survey. A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted on open-ended response items, the results of which reflect drama therapists' experiences pioneering direct and indirect services and responding to implementation challenges. Findings suggest that while drama therapists provide a number of critical school services, there are identifiable barriers to full integration into the system. Implications for drama therapists include the need for a further specified and structured role, formalized inclusion in student support teams, consistent opportunities to support both students and staff, more secure funding sources, clear implementation logistics, and increased awareness and education about drama therapy among school administrators, faculty, and mental health support staff.

A Scoping Review on the Use and Potential of School-Based Drama Therapy to Enhance Socio-emotional Skills in Early Childhood

“…Numerous calls have focused on a public health approach to addressing traumatic stress among students in schools (e.g., Chafouleas et al, 2019 ; Kolbe, 2019 ). School-based drama therapy practitioners have targeted trauma and delivered services across a multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) framework (e.g., Hoover et al, 2019 ) to address the impacts of adverse experiences on young students’ socio-emotional functioning (Frydman & Mayor, 2021 ). For example, researchers stressed the imperative of a public health model to address the whole school.…”

“…In a recent survey of SBDT practitioners, ecological integration into schools was noted as needing development, specifically improvements in professional collaboration and accessing physical spaces (Frydman & Mayor, 2021 ). In contrast, articles in this review indicated working alongside allied school-based professionals to deliver SBDT (Ellinor, 2019 ; Lau, 2019 ) and support assessment (Johnson et al, 2021 ; Moula et al, 2020 ).…”

“…One of these approaches, school-based drama therapy (SBDT), incorporates play, imaginary engagement, embodied expression, empathy and perspective taking, and transfer of drama-based experiences to real life (Frydman & Mayor, 2021 ; Mayor & Frydman, 2021 ). The North American Drama Therapy Association [NADTA] ( 2022a ) defines drama therapy as “the intentional use of drama and/or theatre processes to achieve therapeutic goals” (para.…”

Creative arts therapy in the United States school system: An integrative systematic review of empirically evaluated interventions from the past decade

“…Notably, school‐based CAT programs are often individually structured to respond to their specific school environments (Glassman & Prasad, 2013; Isis et al, 2010; Johnson et al, 2020; Nelson, 2010; Sajnani et al, 2019). For example, North American drama therapists articulate their role as being reactive supports in schools, often positioned as responsive to emergent needs of individual students, within classrooms, or as called for on a school‐wide basis (Frydman & Mayor, 2021). Specific programs that feature drama therapy (Burch et al, 2019; Dean et al, 2019; Johnson et al, 2020; Sajanai et al, 2019) and dance/movement therapy (Dean et al, 2019; Kornblum & Halsten, 2006) characterize themselves as a recommended service that regularly receives referrals from their school‐based colleagues.…”

“…However, these programs have often been funded externally or had a shorter‐term presence in the school setting and generally operate as an outside contractor. Moreover, it is common for one‐time school‐related CAT interventions to be presented as a special project or time‐limited intervention (Beardall, 2011; Burch et al, 2019; Cook, 2020; Frydman & Mayor, 2021; Hylton et al, 2019; Mayor & Frydman, 2019; Pasiali & Clark, 2018).…”