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Dramatherapy for mentally disordered offenders: changes in levels of anger
Author(s) -
Reiss David,
Quayle Marie,
Brett Tim,
Meux Clive
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
criminal behaviour and mental health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.63
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1471-2857
pISSN - 0957-9664
DOI - 10.1002/cbm.232
Subject(s) - anger , psychology , anger management , psychiatry , clinical psychology , psychological intervention , population , medicine , environmental health
The aim of this study was to examine changes in levels of anger associated with a therapeutic theatre project. The population consisted of mentally disordered patients in a maximum security hospital, all of whom had a history of major violence. The subjects were being treated on a ward that specializes in psychotherapeutic interventions. Twelve young adult male patients, defined by structured interview for personality disorder and clinical diagnosis for mental illness, participated in a week‐long dramatherapy project. They were evaluated using self‐report questionnaires both before and after the week, as well as at three‐month follow‐up. Levels of anger significantly reduced from before to after the theatre week. This improvement was maintained at three‐month follow‐up. There was an associated increase in the frequency of attempts to control the expression of anger. It is concluded that a dramatherapy project within a psychotherapeutic environment may be an effective therapeutic modality for reducing anger levels in young mentally disordered offenders. Copyright © 1998 Whurr Publishers Ltd.