Effectiveness of Drama Therapy on Suicidal Ideation, Self-Control, and Depression in Adolescents with Suicidal Ideation
Keywords:
Drama therapy, suicidal ideation, impulsivity, self-control, depression, adolescentsAbstract
Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of drama therapy in reducing suicidal ideation and depression and improving self-control among adolescents with suicidal ideation.
Methods and Materials: The present study employed a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with a control group and was conducted among 30 adolescents (15 in the experimental group and 15 in the control group) in Ahvaz. Participants were selected through purposive sampling and subsequently randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The experimental group received an eight-session drama therapy protocol. The research instruments included the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSS), the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and the Tangney Self-Control Scale. Data were analyzed using univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA).
Findings: The results indicated that, after controlling for pretest scores, drama therapy significantly reduced suicidal ideation (effect size = 0.48) and depression (effect size = 0.60) and increased self-control (effect size = 0.71) in the experimental group compared with the control group (p < .001).
Conclusion: The findings support the effectiveness of drama therapy through mechanisms such as “aesthetic distancing” and “role reversal,” which allow adolescents to represent their emotions dramatically, restructure negative cognitive patterns, and improve their capacity for impulse inhibition. By reducing hopelessness and enhancing self-efficacy, this experiential intervention may serve as an effective approach for preventing self-harming behaviors among adolescents. Nevertheless, longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes are recommended.
Downloads
References
Alipour, F., Abolfazl, F., Ahrari, E. a.-D., & Mosleh, S. G. (2023). The Structural Relationship between Self-Control and Academic Dishonesty: The Mediating Role of Academic Procrastination. Research in School and Virtual Learning, 11(1), 25-28.
Barker, L., Wang, S. S., Huda, M. N., John, J. R., Wu, W. T., Lin, P. I. D., & Eapen, V. (2025). Community-Based Mental Health Interventions for Reducing Youth Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviours: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. BMC psychiatry, 25(1), 1041. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-07527-3
Bayliss, L. T., Kelly, A., Krishnamoorthy, S., Lam, M., Hassall, L., & Kolves, K. (2026). Impact of Theatre Interventions on Mental Health: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 80(4), 251-258. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2025-224637
Berghs, M., Henquet, C., Vissers, C., & Van Hooren, S. (2025). Psychodrama for Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review of Therapeutic Effects, Changes and Underlying Processes. Children and Youth Services Review, 108733. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108733
Bruno, S., Anconetani, G., Rogier, G., Del Casale, A., Pompili, M., & Velotti, P. (2023). Impulsivity Traits and Suicide Related Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Using the UPPS Model. Journal of affective disorders, 339, 571-583. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.07.086
Cruz, R. F., Sales, C. M., & Alves, P. P. (2018). The Core Techniques of Psychodrama: A Systematic Review of Clinical Studies. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 60, 42-52. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01263
Feniger-Schaal, R., & Orkibi, H. (2020). Integrative Systematic Review of Drama Therapy Intervention Research. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 14(1), 68. https://doi.org/10.1037/aca0000257
Ghazal, L., Cui, N., Fenglin, C., Froelicher, E. S., & Shimbrer, M. S. (2025). Effectiveness of Preventive Interventions on Adolescents' Depression and Suicidal Tendency: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Frontiers in psychology, 16, 1356816. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1356816
Jiang, L., Alizadeh, F., & Cui, W. (2023). Effectiveness of Drama-Based Intervention in Improving Mental Health and Well-Being: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Post-Pandemic Period. Healthcare, 11(6), 839. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11060839
Keliat, B. A., Tololiu, T. A., Daulima, N. H. C., & Erawati, E. (2015). The Influence of the Training of Coping Skills for Stress on Self-Control and Intensity of Depression among Adolescents with Suicide Risk. International Journal of Advanced Nursing Studies, 4(2), 110. https://doi.org/10.14419/ijans.v4i2.4928
Krupa, M., & Balogh-Pécsi, A. (2024). Drama-Based Therapy Program in the Recovery of Adults with Addictive Disorders. European Psychiatry, 67(S1), S416-S416. https://doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2024.859
Lewis, C. P., Klimes-Dougan, B., Croarkin, P. E., & Cullen, K. R. (2026). Understanding the Emergence of Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in Adolescence from a Brain and Behavioral Developmental Perspective. Neuropsychopharmacology, 51(1), 259-272. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-025-02168-2
Liu, C., Rotaru, K., Wang, Z., Li, K., Cui, L. B., Li, J., & Ren, L. (2024). Examining Network Structure of Impulsivity and Depression in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Two-Sample Study. Journal of affective disorders, 362, 54-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2024.06.073
Martin, A., Oehlman, M., Hawgood, J., & O'Gorman, J. (2023). The Role of Impulsivity and Self-Control in Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempt. International journal of environmental research and public health, 20(6), 5012. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20065012
Oliffe, J. L., Ogrodniczuk, J. S., Bottorff, J. L., Johnson, J. L., & Hoyak, K. (2012). "You Feel Like You Can't Live Anymore": Suicide from the Perspectives of Canadian Men Who Experience Depression. Social Science & Medicine, 74(4), 506-514. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.03.057
Orkibi, H., Keisari, S., Sajnani, N. L., & de Witte, M. (2025). Effectiveness of Drama-Based Therapies on Mental Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Controlled Studies. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 19(4), 878. https://doi.org/10.1037/aca0000582
Sharkiya, S. H. (2026). The Effect of Drama Therapy on Depressive Symptoms and Quality of Life Among Older Adults in Residential Care Facilities. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 26(2), e70148. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.70148
Sim, L., Wang, Z., & Croarkin, P. E. (2025). Management of Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in Youth: A Systematic Review. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK618334/
World Health, O. (2024). Mental Health of Adolescents. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health
Yang, Q., Xie, R., Wang, D., Li, J., Zhang, R., Li, W., & Ding, W. (2024). How to Survive the Long Night? Longitudinal Relationship between Sleep Problems and Suicidal Behavior among Adolescents: The Serial Mediating Roles of Negative Emotion, Self-Control, and Nonsuicidal Self-Injury. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 54(2), 349-360. https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.13046
Zhang, B., Yang, L., Sun, W., Xu, P., Ma, H., & Abdullah, A. B. (2025). The Effect of the Art Therapy Interventions to Alleviate Depression Symptoms among Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Clinics, 80, 100683. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinsp.2025.100683
Downloads
Additional Files
Publication Timeline
- Submitted
- Revised
- Accepted
