Abstract
The use of creative arts therapy groups with the elderly is achieving increased recognition as technical and theoretical dimensions of these modalities are being described with greater sophistication. Clinical reports of verbal group therapy indicate that socialization, life satisfaction, and insight can be improved through group therapy (Benaim, 1957; Berland & Poggi, 1979; Linden, 1956). Creative arts therapies provide unique and additional benefits in group work with the elderly. Numerous reports of art, music, dance, and drama therapy in the past decade conclude that the arts therapies provide structured group interactions that elicit coherent expressions of the person’s inner life. The creative arts therapies particularly benefit patients with impaired cognition by providing interpersonal structure and communication that do not rely on verbalization (Berger & Berger, 1973; CaplowLindner, Harpaz & Samberg, 1979; Crossin, 1976; Fersh, 1980; Gray, 1974; Weiss, 1984). In the field of drama therapy, most contributions emphasize the description of specific activities (such as exercises, plays, theatre games) and basic leadership principles (Burger, 1980; Michaels, 1981; Thurman & Piggins, 1982; Weisberg & Wilder, 1985; Ziemba, 1985). However, there is evidence that a number of coherent technical approaches based on sophisticated theoretical frameworks are emerging (Feil, 1981; Jennings, 1973; Johnson, 1985). The purpose of this article is to articulate such a framework, identified as the Developmental Method, for drama therapy technique with the elderly. The Developmental Method is based, in part, on previous work with the elderly and other populations which has been described elsewhere (Johnson, 1982, 1984, 1985; Johnson, Sandel & Margolis, 1982; Sandel, 1978, 1979). After describing the technique and its theoretical rationale, I will report in detail on a complete session in order to provide a clear picture of its application with elderly patients, particularly those in nursing homes.
Published Version
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