Abstract

The most widely used and most successful treatment for children with autism is known as Intensive Behavioral Intervention (IBI) and allows for a significant increase in cognitive, behavioral and language skills. However, there seems to be a gap in this form of treatment between the known benefits and the possible improvements in emotional expression and social interaction. I have witnessed the gains in cognitive, behavioral and language skills for children with autism receiving IBI, but I have yet to see these children increase their range of emotional expression and social interaction with the aid of IBI. An important question that I would like to pose is, is it possible for other treatments such as Drama Therapy to be an effective intervention for this population and can it fill that gap? This paper examines the process of two children with autism and the use of drama therapy as an intervention for these children. The first case study looks at the process of a four year old male with autism who is non verbal and the second case study follows the process of a seventeen year old male with autism who is verbal. The main goal for each child was to have them learn how to express their emotions through drama therapy as well as increase their social interaction skills through drama therapy. I incorporated the guidelines of non-directive play therapy created by Virginia Axline (1969) and through this incorporation I witnessed each client learn how to form a new relationship, express their emotions and learn new social skills