The Role of a School Theater in the Development of Communication of Adolescents: Results of a Longitudinal Study

<p>The article analyzes the influence of theatrical activities on enhancing students' offline communication skills and overall socialization. The authors present the results of a two-year theater project conducted in 2023 and 2024. This project included training in scriptwriting and acting, the production of various digital and creative products, as well as group discussions and reflection sessions. The article provides an analysis of data collected during three testing episodes. The research design incorporated Rozhkov’s test for assessing the socialization levels of adolescents, the Children's Assertive Behavior Scale (CABS) adapted by Y.Z. Gilbukh, and interviews with both teachers and students. A total of 79 adolescents aged 13 to 15 participated in the project, which consisted of two experimental groups with varying levels of educational motivation and skills in independent and creative work, along with one control group. It has been empirically established that specially organized theatrical activities within the framework of Digital Theater pedagogical technology contribute to adolescents internalizing humanistic values, improving indicators such as social adaptation and social activity, and strengthening their competence in communication. The communication skills acquired during the first year of the project proved to be sustainable, as demonstrated by subsequent measurements. The article indicates that the best results were achieved by students in the experimental group who were highly engaged in independently performing all tasks as well as participating in creative and production processes. In contrast, students in the second experimental group required more support and time from adults to develop the necessary skills. In conclusion, it is essential to consider the unique characteristics of students and their groups when implementing theatrical activities.</p>