Abstract:

Introduction and objectives:
Studies on drama pedagogies (Celume et al. 2019; Goldstein & Lerner, 2018; Lee et al. 2015) have shown positive effects on a wide range of cognitive, social, and emotional skills in children. Unfortunately, less is known about its psychological impacts on university students.
With this in mind, this study proposed to evaluate the psychological impacts of a drama pedagogy training among university students, to see its effects on various variables, such as motivation, anxiety, self-esteem, and well-being. In order to achieve this aim, two university teachers proposed to run a drama pedagogy training and check the psychological impact of the training among their own students.

Method:
A third-year psychology class from a French university participated in the study. They participated in an intensive 4-week drama pedagogy training during the beginning of the second semester of the 2022-2023 school year. They were all evaluated before, during, and after the training through different materials.
- During the training, they were evaluated through the self-assessment manikin (SAM) in order to measure their emotional valence before and after each session. Qualitative data was also collected each session through collective feedback.
- Before and after the training, students responded to four self-reported questionnaires: The student motivation scale (EME-U), the trait-anxiety scale (STAI-Y1), the multidimensional self-esteem scale (EMES-16), and the satisfaction with life scale (SWLS) in order to measure their wellbeing.

Results and discussion:
Preliminary results from qualitative data showed an impact on emotional valence. Results from questionnaires will be presented and discussed in terms of the links with social anxiety and other themes that emerged from students' feedback.

References:
[1] Celume, M.-P., Besançon, M., & Zenasni, F. (2019). How a dialogic space can impact children’s creativity and mood valence in Drama Pedagogy Training : Study with a French 4th grade sample. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 33, 100576. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2019.100576
[2] Goldstein, T., & Lerner, M. (2018). Dramatic pretend play games uniquely improve emotional control in young children. Developmental Science, 21(4), e12603. https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.12603
[3] Lee, B. K., Patall, E. A., Cawthon, S. W. S., & Steingut, R. R. (2015). The Effect of Drama-Based Pedagogy on PreK-16 Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis of Research From 1985 to 2012. Review of Educational Research, 85(1), 3-49. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654314540477

Keywords:

Drama, pedagogy, students, emotions, psychology.