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Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders pp 1–13Cite as

Drama and Autism

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Definition

I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.

Oscar Wilde (as cited in Corbett et al. 2011)

Drama interventions attempt to provide creative, enjoyable, and engaging opportunities for people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) to practice a wide range of social skills in the safety and protection of a workshop environment. Ranging from whole group to one-to-one settings, drama interventions operate on the basis of the creation of a fictional context (i.e., a pretend situation), which playfully captures the attention of the participants and encourages interaction and communication with others. Operating on a continuum, there are several different approaches to using drama as an intervention with people with ASD, varying from involvement in theater performance and working on play scripts at one end to improvisation and simulation at the other. Underpinning...

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Trinity College, University of Dublin, Room 3092, School of Education, Arts Building, Trinity College, 2, Dublin, Ireland

    Carmel O’Sullivan

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  1. Carmel O’Sullivan
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Correspondence to Carmel O’Sullivan .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, Connecticut, USA

    Fred R. Volkmar

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O’Sullivan, C. (2015). Drama and Autism. In: Volkmar, F. (eds) Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_102102-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_102102-1

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