DRAMATHERAPY: THE ROLE OF CATHARSIS IN EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL HEALTH IMPROVEMENT
DRAMATHERAPY: THE ROLE OF CATHARSIS IN EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL HEALTH IMPROVEMENT

Summary/Abstract: As awareness for the importance of mental and emotional health increases, experts are exploring multiple strategies to help people reduce anxiety and depression through everyday habits that support mental and emotional well-being. One of those habits includes being part of artistic experiences such as cinema, concerts, or theater. This article aims to investigate the therapeutic potential of drama and theater as an effective medium for enhancing mental health and emotional well-being. Deriving from Aristotle’s concept of catharsis, this potential of dramatic activities has, in the last years, been the focus not only of the drama therapists but also of other settings, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study we tend to examine how engagement in dramatic and theatrical experiences improves psychological and emotional regulation by integrating theoretical perspectives from performance and applied drama studies to conceptualize the mechanisms through which dramatic participation fosters emotional release. By using a mixed method including a literature review of actual studies on this field and analyzing quantitative data, this paper aims to identify consistent evidence indicating that dramatic involvement (role-play, improvisation, being part of an audience in theater etc., correlates with significant reductions in symptoms of depression and anxiety, not only when used by professionals in psychological post-traumatic settings, but also as a sporadic solution in everyday life. The quantitative data was gathered through questionnaires designed to measure how dramatic activities influence individuals’ emotional and mental well-being. These questionnaires included items related to anxiety levels, emotional releases and overall psychological comfort after engaging in dramatic or theater experiences. The findings of this study may offer new perspectives on how simple and sporadic artistic interactions can serve as meaningful tools for maintaining mental and emotional balance.

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