Derrington 2012 thesis.pdf - Anglia Ruskin Research Online

enable communication, improve relationships and help adolescents to focus on the
bigger picture and not to feel alone with their fears. She describes short-term crisis
intervention with boys who have been fighting or involved in bullying. Leigh’s
enthusiasm for this work is clear and when funding runs out in one school, she is able
to build up work at another.
2.5.1 Research projects
Quibell (2010) suggests that drama therapy for small groups of disaffected students to
address social and emotional aspects of learning could have an impact on the whole
school. Having previously used a randomised controlled trial to deliver and research a
form of drama therapy called Action Skills Group Intervention in secondary schools
to address truancy from school, Quibell had proven that the intervention was effective
both in the short and long term (McArdle et al., 2002). Quibell’s subsequent study
showed that teachers and parents reported positive changes in the children after group
drama therapy intervention but the children gave less positive answers to the
questionnaires. Despite this, the study concluded that the children did benefit and
made an impact on the school: ‘When the school culture begins to reflect the values
that we know are essential to the running of effective groups, then the emotional and
social needs of the children are being accounted for’ (Quibell, 2010, p.126). This is
reminiscent of Pavlicevic’s view (2004) of ‘the ripple effect’ with the idea that ‘the
impact of music therapy can work outwards […] and can create community within a
building’ (p.16).
Ottarsdottir (2010) conducted a research study in a mainstream school in Iceland, to
see how coursework could be integrated into art therapy. Working as both art
therapist and art teacher in a school, she recognised the potential to help students who
had learning difficulties with their coursework whilst maintaining the emphasis on
spontaneous artwork. Hall (2012) also acknowledges the advantages of working as
both teacher and arts therapist in a large special school and suggests that, by knowing
a child’s particular difficulties from individual therapy sessions, she can be of more
help to the child as a teacher. However, this approach is not without some difficulties
due to the overlap of boundaries and the potential confusion of rules for pupils.
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