Therapeutic Process Through an Analysis of Significant Events in Psychodramatic Family Therapy

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Family Therapy
• Psychodrama

Background:

• Significant events are crucial for understanding therapeutic change.
• Scene-based psychodramatic family therapy (SPFT) is a group format for families with adolescents exhibiting externalizing problems.
• SPFT integrates systemic therapy and psychodrama principles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify significant events in SPFT.
• To analyze therapeutic processes from the client's perspective.
• To understand mechanisms of change in families with externalizing adolescents.

Main Methods:

• Evaluated 14 multiple-family groups (122 adolescents, 107 parents).
• Conducted post-treatment focus groups for client perspectives.
• Employed thematic analysis to identify and categorize significant events.

Main Results:

• Six types of significant events were identified, including enactment, conflict dramatization, emotional expression, and catharsis.
• Significant events occurred most frequently in the middle and final treatment phases.
• Adolescents identified events both with and without parental presence.

Conclusions:

• Enactment and role-playing are key therapeutic mechanisms in SPFT.
• Client-identified significant events offer insights into therapeutic change.
• SPFT effectively facilitates change in families with adolescents exhibiting externalizing behaviors.