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Volume 9, Issue 2
  • ISSN: 2054-7668
  • E-ISSN: 2054-7676

Abstract

There is paucity of research on the issues concerning family caregivers of loved ones with mental illness despite an increasing awareness of the importance of caregiving as an essential component of care. In this study, we examine the impact of an ethnodrama to (1) authentically reflect the experience of caregivers for people diagnosed with a mental illness and (2) impact audience beliefs and feelings about mental health and caregiver realities. Two focus group sessions were held with 21 family caregivers from a community support group from which an ethnodrama was developed and then presented across four performances to a total of 110 audience members. Audience members completed pre- and post-performance questionnaires containing items related to stigma, respect, caregiving attitudes and self-evaluation. Results indicated that audience members reported the play to realistically reflect the reality of caregiving for a loved one with mental illness, and statistical analyses revealed significant pre-post changes in the four categories of beliefs and feelings examined. The results indicate that witnessing the performance was a valuable educational experience and that ethnodrama has a place in mental health and mental illness education.

Resumen

Existe una escasez de investigación sobre los problemas que conciernen a los familiares que cuidan a sus seres queridos con enfermedades mentales, a pesar de la creciente concienciación sobre la importancia de la prestación de cuidados como componente esencial del cuidado médico. En este estudio, examinamos el impacto de un etnodrama para (1) reflejar auténticamente la experiencia de los cuidadores de personas diagnosticadas con una enfermedad mental y (2) impactar las creencias y sentimientos de la audiencia sobre la salud mental y las realidades de los cuidadores. Se llevaron a cabo dos sesiones de grupos focales con 21 cuidadores de familiares de un grupo de apoyo comunitario a partir del cual se desarrolló un etnodrama y luego se presentó en cuatro actuaciones a un total de 110 miembros de la audiencia. Los miembros de la audiencia completaron cuestionarios previos y posteriores al desempeño que contenían elementos relacionados con el estigma, el respeto, las actitudes de cuidado y la autoevaluación. Los resultados indicaron que los miembros de la audiencia informaron que la obra refleja de manera realista la realidad del cuidado de un ser querido con enfermedad mental y los análisis estadísticos revelaron cambios significativos en las cuatro categorías de creencias y sentimientos examinados. Los resultados indican que presenciar la actuación fue una experiencia educativa valiosa y que el etnodrama tiene un lugar en la educación sobre la salud mental y las enfermedades mentales.

Résumé

Il y a peu de recherches sur les problèmes concernant les proches aidants d’êtres chers atteints de maladie mentale, malgré une prise de conscience croissante de l’importance de la manière dont les soins sont dispensés – ce qui est un élément essentiel des soins eux-mêmes. Dans cette étude, nous examinons l’impact d’un ethnodrame pour (1) refléter de manière authentique l’expérience des soignants de personnes diagnostiquées de maladie mentale et (2) avoir un impact sur les croyances et les sentiments du public concernant la santé mentale et les réalités des soignants. Deux séances de discussion de groupe ont été organisées avec 21 aidants familiaux appartenant à un groupe de soutien communautaire, séances à partir desquelles un ethnodrame a été développé, puis présenté en quatre représentations à un total de 110 membres du public. Avant et après la performance, les membres du public ont rempli des questionnaires contenant des éléments liés à la stigmatisation, au respect, aux attitudes de soins et à l’auto-évaluation. Les résultats ont indiqué que les membres du public ont déclaré que la pièce reflétait de manière réaliste la réalité de la prestation de soins à un être cher atteint de maladie mentale, et les analyses statistiques ont révélé des changements significatifs dans les quatre catégories de croyances et de sentiments examinés. Les résultats indiquent que le fait d’assister à la représentation a été une expérience éducative précieuse et que l’ethnodrame a sa place dans l’éducation à la santé mentale et à la maladie mentale.

Funding
This study was supported by the:
  • Concordia University for a Team Start-Up grant (2016–17) and an Accelerator grant (2017–19) (Award VS0240)
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2023-10-05
2024-05-02
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The audience impact of an ethnodrama based on the lived experiences of family caregivers of loved ones with a mental illness
Drama Therapy Review 9, 239 (2023); https://doi.org/10.1386/dtr_00131_1
/content/journals/10.1386/dtr_00131_1
/content/journals/10.1386/dtr_00131_1
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  • Article Type: Article
Keyword(s): audience; audiencia; drama therapy; drama thérapie, psychodrame; dramaterapia; educación en salud mental; ethnodrama; ethnodrame; ethnographie; etnodrama; etnografía; mental health education; performance; performance ethnography; playback theatre; psicodrama; psychodrama; public; teatro playback; théâtre playback; éducation à la santé mentale

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