DRAMA-BASED INTERVENTIONS FOR THE PSYCHOSOCIAL RECOVERY OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS IN TIMES OF CRISIS

نویسندگان

  • Eleni Stathi Postgraduate Student, MA in Theatre Studies, Open University of Cyprus, Cyprus
  • Konstantinos Mastrothanasis Adj. Professor, MA in Theatre Studies, Open University of Cyprus, Cyprus

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v12i9.6151

کلمات کلیدی:

drama-based interventions, psychosocial recovery, children, adolescents, crisis, resilience

چکیده

Periods of health emergencies, natural disasters, social upheavals, or economic instability increasingly disrupt the fabric of communities, with children and adolescents often bearing the brunt of the psychosocial consequences. This paper explores how such crises impact minors, not only highlighting the particular difficulties they encounter, but also examining the factors that underpin their resilience. Within this context, the study turns its attention to drama-based interventions as an alternative avenue for support and recovery. It delves into practices such as drama games, story dramatization, improvisation, and puppetry, assessing their relevance and adaptability. Adopting a narrative review methodology, the article presents and evaluates concrete examples where drama-based approaches have been put into practice in response to various forms of crisis. These cases illustrate that incorporating theatrical expression and experiential creativity into psychosocial interventions can ease the burden of trauma, strengthen collective bonds, and gradually restore young people's emotional well-being. The versatility of these methods, their capacity to foster empathy, self-awareness, and social inclusion, and their suitability across different cultural and educational settings are all brought to the fore. The study suggests that drama-based methodologies offer more than just temporary relief. By encouraging active participation and personal expression, they lay the groundwork for genuine empowerment among youth. On this basis, the systematic integration of such interventions into educational and community programs, both as preventive measures and as part of recovery strategies, is recommended to support psychological resilience and social cohesion during periods of uncertainty.

 

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بیوگرافی نویسندگان

  • Eleni Stathi، Postgraduate Student, MA in Theatre Studies, Open University of Cyprus, Cyprus

    Eleni Stathi holds a degree from the Department of History and Archaeology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), where she completed her studies with a specialization in History, Archaeology, and Art History. She is employed as a philologist in Secondary Education and teaches at the 1st Gymnasium of Agios Ioannis Rentis, where she has also served in a position of responsibility and participates in the implementation of Erasmus programs. She has attended theatre courses in drama workshops, as well as seminars in school psychology and positive psychology in education. She is currently a postgraduate student in the MA program "Theatre Studies" at the Open University of Cyprus, specializing in Theatre Education.

  • Konstantinos Mastrothanasis، Adj. Professor, MA in Theatre Studies, Open University of Cyprus, Cyprus

    Konstantinos Mastrothanasis holds a PhD from the Department of Primary Education at the University of the Aegean and is a postdoctoral researcher at the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He teaches theatre pedagogy, drama education, and arts-based teaching for vulnerable groups at universities in Greece and Cyprus, with a focus on applied theatre in education, health, and well-being. He is coordinator and adj. Professor in the MA program "Theatre Studies" at the Open University of Cyprus and serves as supervisor of the national expert team of the Greek Institute of Educational Policy (IEP) for the enrichment of digital educational content in Music and Drama Education, aiming to create interactive, open, and accessible digital environments incorporating artificial intelligence. His work has been recognized with distinctions from I.A.K.E. and E.E.P.E.K.

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2025-07-21

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