Individual, Family, and Community Education ETDs

Publication Date

7-18-1978

Abstract

Statement of the Problem

The study was conducted in an effort to determine if there were any differences between an Intensive Weekend Psychodrama vs Spaced Psychodrama in regard to self-reported feelings of anxiety and depression, and attitudes toward group interaction of nursing students. The scores on three outcome measures were compared for students in two experimental conditions and those in a control group.

Procedures

The study was conducted at the University of Albuquerque School of Nursing, University of New Mexico Department of Psychiatry Grand Rounds Room, and the Branham Psychodrama Studio in Taos, New Mexico. The subject were second year nursing students attending the University of Albuquerque School of Nursing who volunteered to participate in the study. The subjects were randomly assigned to three groups, viz., group A, spaced psychodrama; group B, intensive weekend psychodrama; group C, no treatment control. The subjects in Group A attended six weekly three-hour psychodramatic sessions. They were pre- and posttested, using the Symptom Rating Test (SRT) and the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List (MAACL) and the Hill Interaction Matrix (HIM). The subjects in Group B attended an intensive psychodramatic weekend in Taos, New Mexico, for 18 noncontinuous hours. The same instruments were used for pre- and posttests; however, the subjects in Group B were also post-posttested five weeks after the psychodramatic weekend to test for follow-up effects. The subjects in the control group were pre- and posttested with the same instruments but were not involved in a psychodramatic experience.

Results

Statistical data indicated no differences among the three groups on any of the instruments on pretesting. Experimental Group A (spaced psychodrama sessions) showed no significant changes on any of the instruments between pre- and post-treatment scores. Group B (intensive psychodrama weekend) showed significant differences between pre- and post- and pre- and post-post-treatment scores at the .001 level of significance on the Symptom Rating Test Checklist, and differences at the .05 level on the Distress Scales. There was no significant change on the Hill Interaction Matrix Scales. The Multiple Affect Adjective Check List Scales detected no significant change on the Anxiety Scale but showed a significant change on the Depression Scale at the .05 level. Control Group C showed no significant change on the Hill Interaction Matrix Scales between pre- and post-treatment scores. However, it should be noted that the Control Group C showed significant changes on the Symptom Rating Test. There were no differences among the three groups on post-treatment.

Conclusions

Based on the results of the study, several conclusions were reached:

1. Spaced psychodrama had no significant effect on anxiety, distress or attitudes toward group interaction of nursing students.

2. An intensive weekend psychodrama was associated with significantly reduced feelings of anxiety, depression, and distress.

3. The treatment effects were extended for five weeks in regard to change in self-reported feelings of anxiety and distress following an intensive weekend psychodrama.

4. There were no significant correlations between the Symptom Rating Test and Multiple Affect Adjective Check List scores for anxiety and depression.

5. Spaced psychodrama had no significant effect on therapeutic styles of nursing students as measured by the Hill Interaction Matrix.

6. An intensive weekend psychodrama had no sifnificant effect on therapeutic style of nursing students as measured by the Hill Interaction Matrix.

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

Degree Name

Counseling

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Individual, Family, and Community Education

First Committee Member (Chair)

Wayne Rowan Maes

Second Committee Member

Marion Jacob Heisey

Third Committee Member

George Leonard Keppers

Fourth Committee Member

Robert Kellner

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