Effect of Psychodrama on Reducing High-Risk Behaviors in Unsupervised Adolescence

Aims: Adolescents who have been deprived of family support for various reasons are more likely to be in vulnerable groups in society, resulting in more risky behaviors. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of psycho-drama in reducing high-risk behaviors in unsupervised adolescent boys. Materials & Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of unsupervised teenage boys between the ages of ۱۲-۱۳, who were studying in the sixth grade in Zanjan in the ۲۰۱۸-۲۰۱۹ academic year. ۴۰ students were selected by purposive sampling and substituted in two equal groups as experimental and control groups. The main tool was the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (۲۰۱۳). Psychodrama intervention was performed for ۹ sessions (each session ۹۰ minutes) for the experimental group, but the control group received no intervention. At the final session, both experimental and control groups received a posttest. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance by SPSS۲۳. Findings: Results showed a significant difference between the two groups in the posttest phase (p<۰.۰۵). Psychodrama decreased high-risk behaviors in the experimental group. The percentage of these changes based on the Eta-square was ۴۱.۳%. Also, according to the results, Eta-square of components was ۳۷% for the smoking, ۳۲% for the alcohol; ۱۷.۹% for the psychotropic; ۳۶.۳% for aggressive behaviors,۳۵.۳% for thinking and committing suicide, ۳۰.۵% for escape component, and ۳۵.۵% for relationship the opposite sex (p<۰.۰۵). Conclusion: According to the findings, it can be concluded that psychodrama is an effective adjunctive therapy to reduce the symptoms of high-risk behaviors of unsupervised adolescent boys, and it is recommended to counselors in preventing psychological damage in schools.

Keywords:

Psychodrama , Health Risk Behaviors , Adolescent