REGRESSION IN GROUP PSYCHODRAMA

Abstract: Regression is considered as an important outcome of the beginning of a therapeutic group. Sometime, collective regression can be observed only after the group has gone through the first phase. It is the case of a group psychodrama group of children, organized by the author of this paper in a consulting centre in the Paris area. This form of group therapy supposes for the participants to: first, proposing stories, memories, phantasies leading to dramatic scenarios to be interpreted; second, playing as on a theatre stage the common scenarios; third, discussing the scenarios and the way they were played. An evolution of the content of the scenarios was observed. In the beginning, the content was banal, but little by little, the most frequent script supposed a group of twin babies, not talking, toddling, urinating and defecating without restrain, and angry because their parents were divorced; they were assisted by an uncle or an aunt. To mention that the author was accompanied in this therapy by a female colleague. The group included first 4, then 5 children, two girls and three boys. They had different sorts of psychological problems, and progressed quite well in the way of expressing their difficulties. The collective regression is understood as a synchronic process, as evoked by René Kaës.