Dramatization of poetry as strategy in an anger management programme for adolescent girls

528 Pages·2014·2.56 MB·English

Dramatization of poetry as strategy in an anger
management programme for adolescent girls
by
Cecilia van den Berg

A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree

Doctor Philosophiae
in the Department of Drama
FACULTY OF HUMANITIES

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA

Supervisor: Professor M Munro
Assistant Supervisor: Professor M-H Coetzee

December 2013
ABSTRACT

Adolescence is a turbulent time and a critical transformational phase during which
major physical, emotional, cognitive and social shifts occur. The objective of this
study is to explore ways in which female adolescents can acquire anger
management skills. The study proposes that emotional competency is cultivated as a
result of the neurological plasticity of the brain and by applying learning material
based on the work of scholars in the fields of neuroscience and Applied Drama.
Adolescence is an opportune time for girls to learn emotional competency skills as
the incomplete development of the prefrontal area of the brain makes them more
inclined to risk taking and less aware of logical thinking processes. The study
indicates that anger floods the body with secretions like cortisol and adrenaline,
blocking logical thinking. Angry incidences can have destructive consequences for
relationships. The empirical study includes discussions of training levels for anger
management, such as the identification of anger-related emotions and anger styles,
understanding anger, and curbing angry expressions through assertive
communication.

As anger management is a practical aptitude, the empirical study applied selected
Process Drama conventions (as modes of Applied Drama), specifically role play,
tableaux, Mantle of the Expert and dramatized poetry. The benefit of these
conventions lies in the facility with which they can alternate between dual modes of
engagement and learning content. Process Drama launches the workshops’
participants into a make-believe world in which they can identify with a situation from
the inside out while simultaneously observing the situation from the outside in, a
phenomenon called metaxis. The female adolescent, while protective of her social
relationships, can safely enter a fictitious world and face the problems raised by
anger without jeopardizing her privacy or dealing with real-life emotions. The
convention of dramatized poetry enabled creative expression as the participants
wrote their own poems to personalize their insight into their need for anger
management. While the methodology was being practised, it was also assessed. As
the outcomes of the learning objectives were the participants’ responsibility, I could
assess during the activities if they accommodated learning objectives in their
biography. In this study the participants were, for example, not able to fully utilize the
skill of assertive communication.

The integrity of the methodology of Process Drama for girls was affirmed when it was
successfully combined with the principles of brain-based learning. The literature
review and the outcomes of the empirical study confirmed that Process Drama
adheres to the principles of brain-based learning which is, inter alia, physiological,
social and emotional, and occurs in tandem with the developmental phase of the
participant. The research study is the culmination of various disciplines and an
endeavour to present a multimodal anger management programme that incorporates
the adolescent female on a cognitive, emotional and physical level, and in a sound
collaborative environment.

Key terms:
Adolescent female, anger management, Process Drama, Applied Drama, Drama in
Education, role play, Mantle of the Expert, dramatized poetry, brain-based education,
emotional competency, emotion, anger, empathy, assertiveness, neuroscience.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I wish to express my sincere gratitude to:
 Professor Marth Munro, my supervisor, for her empathetic support, integrity, time
and, most valuable, her consistent academic input.
 Professor Marié-Heleen Coetzee, my co-supervisor, for her enthusiasm and the high
quality of her intellectual contributions.
It was an honour to be guided by two highly knowledgeable and dedicated educators.
 A special word of appreciation to Professor Allan Munro who granted me the
opportunity to further my studies years ago.
 The University of Pretoria for its financial support.

I am grateful for the following people who assisted me during this journey:
 Sanet Barnard and Lina Coetzer: proofreading.
 Mrs Joyce Jordaan: statistics.
 Mrs Mariana Pretorius: questionnaire.
 Mrs Elsa Schaffner: research articles.
 Professor Cecilia Bouwer who provided intellectual guidance.
 Louis Fourie who listened.
 Linah Mojodo who kept things clean.
 To my husband, Johan, with whom I share the enchanted world of knowledge.
 Yolande and Martie Steenkamp who cheered me on with love.
 The Brain that took me on an unforgettable journey through the skull.
Thanks to my friends.
There are bars in the windows of every human heart.
They are forged from iron and indifference
They are gently installed by force
Poetry is the saw.
(Dalphé: Les murs de nos villages, 1983)

Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE: THE DRAMATIZATION OF POETRY AS A STRATEGY IN AN ANGER
MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME FOR MIDDLE ADOLESCENT GIRLS ..................................... 1
1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 1
1.2 Research question, sub-questions and contextualization ...................................................... 2
1.2.1 Research question ........................................................................................................... 2
1.2.2 Sub-questions .................................................................................................................. 2
1.2.3 The contextualization of the study ................................................................................. 3
1.3 Research design .................................................................................................................... 17
1.3.1 Research question ......................................................................................................... 18
1.3.2 Research objective: Exploration as research objective ................................................ 18
1.3.3 The research design: Exploratory research ................................................................... 19
1.3.4 Research procedures and structure .............................................................................. 20
1.4 Analysis of findings................................................................................................................ 23
1.5 Limitations of the study ........................................................................................................ 23
1.6. Chapter outlines .................................................................................................................... 24
1.6.1 Chapter One .................................................................................................................. 24
1.6.2 Chapter Two .................................................................................................................. 24
1.6.3 Chapter Three ............................................................................................................... 24
1.6.4 Chapter Four ................................................................................................................. 25
1.6.5 Chapter Five .................................................................................................................. 25
1.6.6 Chapter Six .................................................................................................................... 25
1.6.7 Chapter Seven ............................................................................................................... 26
1.6.8 Chapter Eight................................................................................................................. 26
1.6.9 Chapter Nine ................................................................................................................ 26
CHAPTER TWO: EMOTIONS WITH SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO THE EMOTION OF
ANGER ................................................................................................................................................ 27
2.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 27
2.2 The neurological generation of emotions ............................................................................. 32
2.2.1 The amygdala's role in the generation of emotions ..................................................... 33
2.2.2 Brain regions involved in the generation of emotion ................................................... 34
2.2.3 The hypothalamus’ role in the generation of emotions ............................................... 36
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2.2.4 The role of the visceral motor system and the somatic nervous systems in the
generation of emotions ................................................................................................ 38
2.2.5 The elicitation of emotions through the endocrine system and how chronic stress
produces negative emotions......................................................................................... 39
2.2.6 Emotion generation through the memory system ....................................................... 45
2.2.7 The indirect generation of emotions by other emotions ............................................. 48
2.3 The regulation of emotions ................................................................................................... 50
2.3.1 The regulation of emotions by higher mechanisms of the brain .................................. 50
2.3.2 The concept of brain plasticity and emotional regulation ............................................ 53
2.4 The classification of emotions and the positioning of the emotion of anger and the variety
of angry feelings .................................................................................................................... 56
2.5 The emotion of anger ........................................................................................................... 59
2.5.1 Anger: Two sides of one emotion ................................................................................. 59
2.5.2 Expressions of anger and angry feelings ....................................................................... 60
2.5.3 The social and neurological localization of anger ......................................................... 62
2.5.4 Defining the relation between anger and aggression ................................................... 66
2.5.5 A discussion regarding a variety of anger styles ........................................................... 69
2.5.6 Anger and aggression interventions ............................................................................. 74
2.6 Summary ............................................................................................................................... 76
CHAPTER THREE: THE EMOTIONAL LIFE OF THE ADOLESCENT GIRL .......................... 78
3.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 78
3.2 The various development factors influencing the emotional life of the adolescent ............ 79
3.2.1 The development task of the acceptance of changed physical identity ....................... 80
3.2.2 The development task of cognitive expansion ............................................................. 86
3.2.3 The development task of social independence: individuation and independence from
parents and peers ......................................................................................................... 88
3.2.4 The emotional development task of the female adolescent ........................................ 94
3.3 The profile of adolescent female anger, angry feelings and aggression .............................. 97
3.3.1 The instigation of anger due to the frustration of change ........................................... 97
3.3.2 Stress and anxiety as one of the main origins of anger in adolescent females ............ 99
3.3.3 Temperamental traits can instigate anger and angry feelings ................................... 102
3.3.4 Underpinnings of deep-seated psychological needs can cause anger and angry feelings
102
3.3.5 Anger as acceptable style of conduct ......................................................................... 103
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3.3.6 Psychological disorders generate anger behaviour displays ...................................... 104
3.3.7 Gender differentiation regarding female adolescent anger ....................................... 105
3.4 The expression of anger during adolescence...................................................................... 108
3.4.1 A direct anger display form: assertiveness ................................................................. 108
3.4.2 Direct anger: anti-social aggression ............................................................................ 110
3.4.3 lndirect social aggression ............................................................................................ 111
3.4.4 Indirect passive resistance .......................................................................................... 113
3.4.5 Indirect implosive anger.............................................................................................. 114
3.5 Adolescent female anger in the South African context ...................................................... 115
3.6 Summary ............................................................................................................................. 116
CHAPTER FOUR: THE METHODOLOGY OF PROCESS DRAMA WITH SPECIFIC
REFERENCE TO THE CONVENTION OF DRAMATIZED POETRY ..................................... 118
4.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 118
4.2 A brief introduction to Applied Drama ............................................................................... 118
4.3 Introduction to Drama in Education ................................................................................... 122
4.4 The methodology of Process Drama: an introductory overview ........................................ 128
4.4.1 The Process Drama methodology that employs metaxis: operating simultaneously in
fiction and reality ........................................................................................................ 130
4.4.2 Process Drama as critical methodology ...................................................................... 133
4.4.3 Process drama is a methodology that fosters empathy ............................................. 136
4.4.4 Process Drama as an embodied methodology ........................................................... 140
4.4.5 Process drama as a learner-centred methodology ..................................................... 142
4.4.6 Process Drama is a collaborative learning methodology ............................................ 143
4.4.7 Process drama as fostering meta-cognition and multiple perspective thinking ........ 145
4.4.8 Process Drama as experiential learning ...................................................................... 146
4.5 A brief discussion of conventions of Process Drama applied in this study ......................... 147
4.5.1 Primary conventions applied in this study .................................................................. 148
4.6 Positioning the Process Drama convention of dramatized poetry ..................................... 150
4.7 Motivating the use of dramatized poetry as a Process Drama convention ........................ 155
4.7.1 Why this study employs the literary art form of poetry as Process Drama convention
155
4.7.2 Dramatized poetry as a methodology to intervene in an anger management
programme ................................................................................................................. 160
4.8 Summary ............................................................................................................................. 163
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CHAPTER 5: HOW THE CONVENTIONS OF PROCESS DRAMA ADHERES TO THE
PRINCIPLES OF BRAIN-BASED EDUCATION ......................................................................... 165
5.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 165
5.2 Introduction to brain-based education ............................................................................... 166
5.3 The principles of brain-based education complying with Process Drama conventions and
the development phase of the adolescent female learner ................................................ 169
5.3.1 The brain-based principle: all learning is physiological .............................................. 171
5.3.2 The brain-based principle: the brain-mind is social .................................................... 174
5.3.3 The brain-based principle: the search for meaning is innate ..................................... 176
5.3.4 The brain-based principle: the search for meaning is conducted through patterning
178
5.3.5 The brain-based principle: emotions are critical to patterning and drive attention,
meaning and memory ................................................................................................. 181
5.3.6 The brain-based principle: the brainmind processes parts and wholes simultaneously
185
5.3.7 The brain-based principle: learning involves both focused attention and peripheral
perception. .................................................................................................................. 188
5.3.8 The brain-based principle: learning is both conscious and unconscious .................... 192
5.3.9 The brain-based principle: there are at least two approaches to memory, namely,
archiving individual facts or skills or making sense of experience.............................. 195
5.3.10 The brain-based principle: learning is developmental ................................................ 198
5.3.11 The brain-based principle: complex learning is enhanced by challenge and inhibited by
threat .......................................................................................................................... 200
5.3.12 The brain-based principle: each brain is uniquely organized ..................................... 203
5.4 How the brain-based principles coincide with the methodology of Process Drama and the
development of the adolescent female .............................................................................. 207
CHAPTER SIX: EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE TRAINING FOR ADOLESCENT FEMALES
............................................................................................................................................................ 211
6.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 211
6.2 An introduction to emotional intelligence and emotional competence skills .................... 211
6.3 A discussion of the three main models of EI ....................................................................... 212
6.4 Answering to the controversy surrounding the validity of EI ............................................. 216
6.5 Emotional competency skills ............................................................................................... 218
6.6 Emotional competency skills can successfully be learned .................................................. 220
6.6.1 The educational perspective ....................................................................................... 220
6.6.2 The neuroscientific perspective .................................................................................. 223
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6.7 The importance of emotional competency skills, such as anger management, to adolescent
females ................................................................................................................................ 224
6.8 An introduction to the learning material for the anger management programme ........... 228
6.8.1 Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy .......................... 228
6.8.2 How the interventions of CBT for anger treatment coincides with the conventions of
Process Drama ............................................................................................................ 231
6.9 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 236
6.10 Summary ............................................................................................................................. 238
CHAPTER SEVEN: WORKSHOP SESSIONS FOR THE ANGER MANAGEMENT
PROGRAMMES ............................................................................................................................... 239
7.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 239
7.2 Six session plans .................................................................................................................. 241
7.3 Summary ............................................................................................................................. 285
CHAPTER EIGHT: ANGER MANAGEMENT PROCESS DRAMA WORKSHOPS FOR
ADOLESCENT FEMALES: THREE CASE STUDIES ................................................................ 286
8.1 General introduction ........................................................................................................... 286
8.2 A discussion on how the three workshops, with six sessions each, are aligned to the
practical research environment .......................................................................................... 286
8.3 Session One ......................................................................................................................... 289
8.3.1 Three Process Drama workshops on anger management and a critical reflection on
the implementation of the methodology of Process Drama in this study ................. 289
8.3.2 Addressing the emotional competency of anger management in Session One ......... 301
8.3.3 The role of brain-based principles in the methodology of Process Drama in the three
workshops ................................................................................................................... 303
8.4 Session Two ......................................................................................................................... 307
8.4.1 Three Process Drama workshops and a critical reflection on the implementation of
the methodology ......................................................................................................... 307
8.4.2 Addressing the emotional competency of anger management in Session Two ......... 325
8.4.3 The role of brain-based principles in the methodology of Process Drama in the three
workshops of Session Two .......................................................................................... 327
8.5 Session Three ...................................................................................................................... 330
8.5.1 Three Process Drama workshops on anger management and a critical reflection on
the implementation of the methodology of Process Drama in this study ................. 330
8.5.2 Addressing the emotional competency of anger-management in Session Three ...... 339
8.5.3 The role of the brain-based principles in the methodology of Process Drama in the
three workshops of Session Three .............................................................................. 340
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