A systematic review of dramatherapy interventions which are used to support migrant and refugee populations

The challenges associated with both voluntary and forced migration are significant. Persecution, violence and the difficulties of leaving one’s home, friends and in many cases one’s family have a high mental toll on those who experience them. Such experiences can lead to poor mental health and low psychosocial well-being among migrants and refugees. Given high current and projected migration figures, effective and accessible interventions which support these vulnerable populations are needed. Dramatherapy may be useful in this context; however, no systematic review synthesizing across studies exists. Following systematic review methodology, this study collected, appraised and analysed all existing peer-reviewed articles on this topic with sixteen studies eligible for inclusion. Relevant study and participant characteristics (RQ1) were extracted, and the intended outcomes (RQ2) and both qualitative and quantitative data regarding the effect of dramatherapy were analysed (RQ3). Dramatherapy was found to be used with both adult and child migrant and refugee groups, in particular, dramatherapy methods which draw on projection and embodiment were utilized. Regarding the effects of dramatherapy, small, but variable, quantitative effects regarding mental health symptom reduction were found. Qualitatively, and amongst others, dramatherapy was found to have a positive impact regarding sense of self and identity, to have increased emotional expression and regulation and to have supported clients to build community and feel connected to others. Further research, which fully reports on participant and intervention characteristics, and which utilizes a range of outcome measures or develops new measures relevant to dramatherapy in this context, is recommended.