Body… that does not get bored or about supporting non-verbal communication in the process of drama therapy of the intellectually disabled

Abstract

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis of the impact of drama therapy on self-awareness of the role of the body among the intellectually disabled. In particular, it was intended to examine the effects of drama therapy involving improvisation on adolescents with moderate intellectual disability. The study is focused on assessing their levels of self- awareness of the role of the body in interpersonal relationships. The instrument used for the purpose of this study was designed by the author. It consists of a “Body in action” test, which comprises 16 questions examining the level of self-evaluation of non-verbal behaviours in social interactions. The subjects were administered the test before and after a series of drama therapy workshops. Results indicate the connection between participation in drama therapy workshops based on improvisation and an increased level of the participants’ self-awareness of the role of the body in interpersonal relationships. At this stage of research, however, the conclusions cannot be extended to the whole age-group of the intellectually disabled. This study constitutes a starting point for further exploration of this issue. It outlines a direction, since, based on the results obtained, it can be stated that non-verbal communication plays a significant role in the development of social competences.