Drama education as part of a good lives model treatment approach
The Journal of Forensic Practice
ISSN: 2050-8794
Article publication date: 14 July 2021
Issue publication date: 27 July 2021
Abstract
Purpose
Forensic psychiatric treatment is aimed at reducing violence risk factors (Bonta and Andrews, 2017) and achieving positive, prosocial life goals (Willis et al., 2013). Drama education can be provided as part of this treatment, but the evidence base is scarce. Therefore, the present study aims to provide insight into experiences with drama education as part of forensic psychiatric treatment.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative study was conducted, based on participant observation and 16 interviews, to explore the experiences of patients and treatment providers with drama education during forensic psychiatric treatment. Analyses were conducted following the consensual qualitative research method (Hill et al., 1997).
Findings
The five central themes that emerged from the analysis were knowledge, happiness, excellence in play, community and staff-patient hierarchy. Participants reported that they enjoyed the drama lessons, appreciated the group atmosphere and were able to practice their social-emotional skills. Furthermore, patients and their treatment providers became better acquainted with each other because the power differences between patients and staff decreased during the drama lessons.
Practical implications
Drama education can be considered a useful part of clinical forensic psychiatric treatment, given the positive experience of participants and its perceived positive impact on treatment.
Originality/value
This was one of the first studies to examine the influence that drama education may have on forensic psychiatric treatment. Four of the five themes were in line with the good lives model (Willis et al., 2013), indicating that drama education fulfiled basic human needs or “primary goods” that are important to address in forensic psychiatric treatment, as it decreases the need to compensate these goods with criminal behaviour.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank all of the staff and patients that participated in this study. Furthermore, the authors would like to thank Iris Niessen for her valuable help in the datacollection.This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public,commercial or not-for-profit sectors.Authors have no knownconflicts of interest to disclose.
Citation
Verstegen, N., Smid, W. and van der Schoot, J. (2021), "Drama education as part of a good lives model treatment approach", The Journal of Forensic Practice, Vol. 23 No. 2, pp. 164-174. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFP-11-2020-0045
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited