Paper Title
Literature Review on the Effectiveness of Drama Therapy on Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Abstract
Using theatre to treat children with autism spectrum disorder is a fairly recent concept, hence the lack of
prevalent application to actual therapy. To examine and identify limitations of present research, this study analyzes studies
related to the effect of exposure to theatre on the social skills of children with autism spectrum disorder. Fifteen studies
published between 2010 to now were chosen and categorized by type of study (qualitative, quantitative, mixed). The sample,
researchers, methodology as well as result analysis were also considered. All studies supported the positive influence of
theatre on the social communication of children with autism, especially students with high-functioning autism. Further
studies with longer, more intensive theatre intervention must be conducted to properly understand the details of the influence
of theatre on children with autism spectrum disorder and utilize it effectively to enhance their social functioning.
Keywords - Theatre, Drama, Drama Therapy, Autism, Social functioning, Social communication.