THE SHORT-TERM EFFECT OF INTERACTIVE DRAMA AND REFLECTIVE WRITING ON ADOLESCENTS' SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING CORE COMPETENCIES: A FIVE-WEEK INTERVENTION

Acting on stage can boost adolescents' confidence and compassion towards their peers. When an adolescent plays different roles in a performance, they can develop empathy and gain insight into their lives and the lives of others. Understanding the role of theatre at schools can support promoting social change through knowledge generated from students' experiences. In this study, interactive theatre and reflective writing were used as an intervention to promote Social Emotional Learning (SEL) core competencies. Seven adolescents between the ages of 11 and 15 participated in the study over five weeks at a language school in Yerevan, Armenia. The findings show that the intervention helped develop the participants' SEL competencies of self-awareness, Relationship Skills, and Social Awareness, while Self-management and Responsible Decision-Making remained almost unchanged.