Between life and death: clinical study on the psychodramatic theraphy of two oncological patients

Journal title RICERCHE DI PSICOLOGIA
Author/s Giulia Lamiani, Ivan Fossati, Elena Vegni
Publishing Year 2017 Issue 2016/4
Language Italian Pages 24 P. 611-634 File size 259 KB
DOI 10.3280/RIP2016-004008
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The efficacy of psychological group interventions for cancer patients is known in the literature. Among group psychotherapies, psychodrama is a model which is particularly suitable for cancer patients. As an action method, psychodrama overcomes mentalization and promotes the expression of the internal world through the enactment of problematic situations. However, only a few studies have assessed the efficacy of psychodrama groups with cancer patients. From 2010, two psychodrama therapy groups for cancer patients have been offered on a regular basis at San Paolo Hospital, Milan. This study aims to describe the effects of psychodrama therapy through the description of the internal processes of two patients who ended the therapy in one case due to death and in the second case for shared decision. The verbatim transcripts of 15 sessions per patient were analyzed, corresponding the initial, middle and final phase of therapy. The analysis of the transcript according to the Interpretative Phenomenological Approach, allowed us to highlight the evolution and psychological growth of these two patients.

Keywords: Psychodrama, group therapy, cancer, psychotherapy effectiveness

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Giulia Lamiani, Ivan Fossati, Elena Vegni, Tra la vita e la morte: studio clinico sul percorso psicodrammatico di due pazienti oncologi in "RICERCHE DI PSICOLOGIA " 4/2016, pp 611-634, DOI: 10.3280/RIP2016-004008