A mixed-methods evaluation of the dramatherapy Meta-Processes Model of Change

Investigation into the processes which are in action during dramatherapy is an emerging area of research interest. Models, such as the Meta-Processes Model of Change (MPMC) have, thus, emerged. This model proposes five meta-processes that underlie change in dramatherapy, which are said to be present across all dramatherapy approaches and are crucial to client change. Developed, initially, via a systematic review of dramatherapy, little analysis has been applied to this model since its inception. In order to understand UK dramatherapists’ perspectives on the model and to investigate its applicability to their practice, a mixed-methods study was conducted. Semi-structured interviews were employed with eight UK dramatherapists, and thematic analysis was applied to the data. Afterwards, the MPMC was introduced to the same eight participants before they completed a primarily quantitative short questionnaire. The findings suggest that there is considerable convergence between the MPMC and dramatherapy methods and techniques that the participant dramatherapists employed within their clinical practice. The findings also uncovered the perceived importance of the meta-processes to a UK dramatherapy sample; establishing safety (e.g. via the use dramatic distance and ritual) was deemed to be the most important meta-process by those involved. As this study had a small sample size, and as there was limited knowledge of the model prior to participants’ involvement in the study, further empirical and client-centred research on meta-processes is required.