Teatro-terapia: un approccio originale per la gestione del comportamento dirompente del bambino

Abstract

Aggressive behaviours are the main problem in children with disruptive behaviour disorders. In the majority of cases an oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), often in comorbidity with ADHD, is diagnosed. In these cases the most effective intervention is the multimodal one that includes behavioural treatment for the child, counselling for parents (parent training) and teachers (teacher training) and, if needed, a pharmacological intervention. Drama therapy experiences have proved useful in various fields of medicine. It has been hypothesized that this type of intervention facilitates the development of communication skills, mutual social interaction and recognition of emotions. A group of children with ADHD-ODD comorbidity underwent a brief, intensive drama therapy intervention whose results were compared with those of a control population who received a typical treatment. The reduction in aggressive behaviour was significant and was confirmed at the follow up three months later. Drama therapy is a promising intervention, whose role should not be underestimated in the context of a multimodal approach.