Changing Behaviour Through Psychodrama

Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated cities in the world. About 3.5 million people live in these overcrowded slums and this number is ever increasing. People living in slums have very little, or perhaps no knowledge about Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), as a result, they get engaged in risky sexual behaviour. This research project, funded by NWO-WOTRO Science for Global Development has spent two years with young adult men at Bhashantek slum, one of the largest slums in Dhaka, with the aim of identifying sexual and reproductive health issues affecting young men and to gain proof of concept for the use of psychodrama as a method to avoid risky sexual behaviour.

What is Psychodrama?

Psychodrama consists of group psychotherapy sessions where ‘participants use role playing and dramatic self-presentation to investigate and gain insight into their lives’. Psychodrama sessions do not require any audience. It is an exercise for the participants so that they can explore and reflect on their own behaviour, actions and roles they play in their homes amongst their families.

In a post evaluation survey, it was discovered that the project lead to many changes in the mind-sets of the participants.

Source: https://www.nwo.nl/en/research-and-results/cases/srhr-introducing-psychodrama-in-dhaka-slums.html