“Beautiful Chaos”: Clinicians’ Learning Experience in Collaborative Theater Programming

Abstract

This study provides insights into speech-language pathology graduate student learning experiences during a community-based clinical rotation that targets skill development within an interdisciplinary theater program. Theater-based programming has shown some utility toward promoting pragmatic language skill development for children and teens outside of traditional clinical practice. In addition, the interdisciplinary nature of the program provides opportunities for student clinicians to engage in interprofessional collaboration with arts professionals. The purpose of this study was to explore SLP graduate students' experiences within a collaborative inclusion theater program. Semi-structured interviews collected from three graduate student clinicians were transcribed and analyzed according to Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) methods to yield insights from student participant perspectives of this assigned clinical rotation. Analysis of interview data suggests participants found opportunities to problem-solve collaborative roles and balances while forming concrete ideas related to how to a therapeutic effect. The most salient concepts present across student accounts of experience included openness to the ongoing nature of the learning process, appreciation for the collaborative teaming involved in program activities, and the establishment of a set of ideas and tools to use for clinical utility. This study provides helpful information for clinical educators considering the benefit of embedding potential interprofessional collaborations with performing arts professionals in clinical education.