Real-Life Role Play: A Cognitive Therapy Case Study With Two Young Sex-Abuse Survivors

Authors

  • JULIE E. JACOBS Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12926/kahawx47

Keywords:

real-life role play

Abstract

The author of this case study describes the use of an adaptation of roleplaying in cognitive therapy with two adolescent sex-abuse survivors who were treated in individual and conjoint sessions. Each girl had been sexually abused by a male caregiver. Both men committed suicide after the girls disclosed the abuse. Both girls benefited from sharing insights in the conjoint sessions, with the older girl enacting the role of teacher and the younger girl that of learner. Both were able to challenge and change beliefs about their trauma histories and emerged with different beliefs about themselves, others, arid the future, and consequently were able to react differently to their pasts.

References

Bannister, A. (1997). The healing drama: Psychodrama and dramatherapy with abused children. New York: Free Association Books.

Beck, J. S. (1995). Cognitive therapy: Basics and beyond. New York: Guilford Press.

Celano, M., Hazzard, A., Campbell, S. K., & Lang., C. B. (2002). Attribution retraining with sexually abused children: Review of techniques. Child Maltreatment, 7(1), 65-76.

Kipper, D. A. (1996). The emergence of role playing as a form of psychotherapy. Journal of Group Psychotherapy, Psychodrama & Sociometry, 49(3), 99-119.

Kipper, D. A. (2000). Surplus reality and the experiential reintegration model in psychodrama. International Journal of Action Methods: Psychodrama, Skill Training, & Role Playing. 53(3-4), 137-152.

Moreno, J. L. (1964). Psychodrama, Volume 1 (3rd ed.). Beacon, NY: Beacon House.

Yablonsky, L. (1976). Psychodrama: Resolving emotional problems through role-playing. New York: Basic Books.

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Published

2026-01-23

Issue

Vol. 55 No. 2-3 (2002): Group Psychotherapy, Psychodrama, and Sociometry

Section

Articles

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