Therapeutic Factors in Large Group Psychodrama with Delinquent Adolescents

Lee, Hoo Kyeong; Hyun, Ji Eun; Yoon, Sung Chul; Kim, Sun Jae

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
This study is designed to develop a large group phychodrama for light delin-quent adolescents (hereinafter called as "Psychodrama") thereby determining therapeutic factors for dealing with them.
METHODS
The study was conducted in the program of Seoul Metropolitan Youth Centre called "the class of love" during the period of July through December, 1998. The subjects consisted of a total of 827 young delinquents (759 boys and 68 girls, with the average age of 15.9 years old). To develop "this psychodrama", after we composed of therapeutic team centered by psychiatrists, we prepared from January to June, 1998 by practicing psychodrama with delinquent adolescents and by analyzing the results. "This psychodrama" has three basic steps: (1) warming-up (small group me-eting), (2) action (situation drama and main drama), (3) sharing. A survey of treatments, from a pool of participating adolescents, based on evaluation sheets and 13 therapeutic factors scale followed every session of this psychodrama.
RESULTS
"This psychodrama" was helpful for 47.4%, interesting for 49.2%, not helpful for 12.1% and not interesting for 16%. In the whole group of subjects, the important therapeutic factors were existential factor, universality, identification with the therapist and the instillation of hope in the order of rank. When categorized in four different groups (audience, participants in situation drama, auxiliary egos, participants in sharing) the 4 groups displayed different results to one another. First, the therapeutic factors of audience were similar to that of the whole group. Second, participants in situation drama showed a higher catharsis than others. Third, auxiliary egos were leading in the guidance of members and therapists. Fourth, participants in sharing displayed higher group cohesiveness.
CONCLUSION
As it is getting harder to find program's suitable for the treatment of increasing number of delinquents due to limited budget and experts, this psychodrama could be more cost-effective than any other measures.