Abstract
M. Ed.
This study aims to explore how socio-narradrama interventions influence selfesteem.
Many studies have investigated self-esteem, and also a person’s selfconcept,
while research has also been done into psycho-drama as well as sociodrama
and their defining differences. With this in mind, the experiences of four
learners within a special secondary school were investigated, as well as how socionarradrama
interventions influenced their self-esteem. It is believed that the
participants’ experiences of the socio-narradrama interventions will inform not only
future researchers but also professionals who are willing to use socio-narradrama in
their own contexts.
In this research, a social constructivist perspective and point of departure within a
mixed methods research design was employed. The data for this study was collected
by means of observation, and unstructured interviews, during the socio-narradrama
interventions semi-structured individual interviews, and Beck youth inventories
questionnaire. The Beck youth inventories questionnaire was not used to measure
possible improvements, but was rather used to understand the experiences of the
participants and how the intervention influenced their self-esteem. Data was
analysed using a content analysis method.
Utilising a social constructivist paradigm, I constructed the following main theme in
response to the research question: the self, and the concept that I have of myself,
and five sub-themes namely: feeling of belonging; wanting or giving
acknowledgement; experiencing uncertainty; relationships; and conflict with the self
and with others.
The findings were all interpreted within the general framework of constructivism and
by constructing new ideas enabled the self and others to accept the influences that
socio-narradrama interventions brought upon their self-esteem. An interesting finding
included how the participants saw themselves and the rest of the group, where a
dynamic feeling altered which was based on trust and compliments.