Using sociodrama and psychodrama to teach communication in end-of-life care.
End-of-life discussions can be stressful and can elicit strong emotions in the provider as well as the patient and family. In palliative care, understanding and effectively addressing emotions is a key skill that can enhance professional competency and patient/family satisfaction with care. We illustrate how in coursework for a Master's degree in palliative medicine we used dramatic "action methods" derived from sociodrama and psychodrama in the portrayal of two challenging cases to train providers in the emotional aspects of caring for patients with advanced cancer. We describe the specific techniques of constructing and enacting case scenarios using warm-ups, role-creation, doubling and role-reversal. In particular, we illustrate how these techniques and others were used to reveal and address the "hidden" emotions, attitudes, and values that were central to the communication dilemma. Finally, we present an evaluation completed by the 26 participants who attended the course.
Department of Behavioral Science and Faculty Development, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77230-1402, USA. wbaile@mdanderson.org
Walter F
WF
Baile
Ludovica
L
De Panfilis
Silvia
S
Tanzi
Matteo
M
Moroni
Rebecca
R
Walters
Guido
G
Biasco
D003142:Communication; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000379:methods; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011577:Psychodrama / Q000379:methods*; D013336:Students, Health Occupations / Q000523:psychology; D019452:Terminally Ill / Q000523:psychology*; D014342:Truth Disclosure; D000078329:Workforce