Playing with Gladys: A case study integrating drama therapy with behavioural interventions for the treatment of selective mutism

Abstract

This case study examines an integrative approach combining drama therapy and the behavioural skill “shaping”, as offered to Gladys, a 5-year-old girl diagnosed with selective mutism. This study found that shaping, when implemented in the context of play, with play as the primary reinforcer, elicited from Gladys vocalization and eventually speech within a very short time. Her vocalizations allowed her to enter dramatic play, which in turn propelled spontaneous speech. This article looks at how the three elements of dramatherapy — the playspace, role-playing and dramatic projection — brought about therapeutic changes for Gladys. Aside from spontaneous speech, Gladys also developed positive self-esteem and a heightened sense of spontaneity. Subsequently, these two qualities helped her generalize her speech to new settings on her own. Gladys’s newly harnessed spontaneity further helped her become more sociable and resilient.This study advances the possibility of integrating a behavioural skill with drama therapy for the therapeutic benefits of a child with an anxiety-related condition like selective mutism.