Persona non grata: A systematic review of de-roling in drama therapy

This research examines the phenomenon of de-roling in drama therapy literature with respect to its purpose and application. A systematic review of the literature indicates that the purpose of de-roling relates to the following: transitioning away from an enactment, sharing and reflecting, letting go of a character or a negatively felt sensation, setting boundaries to create distance, and integrating to learn from and amalgamate character qualities. An exploration of the five outlined purposes reveals new ways to view de-roling therapeutically.