Childhood trauma and intimacy: Exploring drama therapy for intimacy recovery in adult relationships
Main Article Content
Keywords
Intimacy, Childhood trauma, Drama Therapy
Abstract
This article investigates the relationship between childhood trauma and intimacy in adulthood, evaluating Drama Therapy as a treatment approach for intimacy recovery. Using a qualitative literature review, the study explores how specific Drama Therapy techniques – dramatic ritual, the Role Method, Narradrama, and Developmental Transformations (DvT) – address intimacy disruptions resulting from childhood trauma. The review reveals that these Drama Therapy approaches equip trauma survivors with tools to rebuild trust, regulate emotions, reform harmful narratives, and manage relational unpredictability. By fostering safety, trust, emotional expression, and mutual recognition within a structured environment, the literature examined indicates that Drama Therapy may facilitate the recovery of intimacy capacity by enabling individuals to engage in healthier and more fulfilling relationships.
The article highlights that while Drama Therapy provides valuable insights into intimacy recovery, it is limited by the absence of empirical data, which affects its scientific validity. Furthermore, the focus on selected literature may not fully represent the broader research landscape on trauma, intimacy, and Drama Therapy. The effectiveness of Drama Therapy techniques in enhancing intimacy lacks extensive empirical validation, underscoring the need for more rigorous research. Future studies should include empirically validated research to explore the impact of specific forms of childhood trauma and identify the most effective Drama Therapy techniques for intimacy recovery. Interdisciplinary collaboration could enhance empirical support for Drama Therapy’s efficacy, offering a more comprehensive understanding of therapeutic interventions' impact on human health and intimate relationships.
Article Metrics Graph
References
Armstrong, C. R., Rozenberg, M., Powell, M. A., Honce, J., Bronstein, L., Gingras, G., & Han, E. (2016). A step toward empirical evidence: Operationalising and uncovering drama therapy change processes. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 49, 27–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2016.05.002
Berceli, D., & Napoli, M. (2006). A proposal for a mindfulness-based trauma prevention program for social work professionals. Complementary Health Practice Review, 11(3), 153–165. https://doi.org/10.1177/1533210106297989
Berkowitz, S. J. (2017). Childhood trauma and the impact of adverse childhood experiences on adult health and well-being. Childhood Trauma: Understanding the Impact of Adverse Experiences on Children and Adolescents, 11(1), 75-83.
Bezuidenhout, C. (2012). Narradrama as group therapeutic intervention in addressing inner strength of mildly intellectually impaired children who have been sexually abused. University of Johannesburg (unpublished master’s thesis).
Biddle, B. J. (1986). Recent developments in role theory. Annual Review of Sociology, 12(1), 67–92. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.so.12.080186.000435
Bourne, J., Selman, M., & Hackett, S. (2020). Learning from support workers: Can a dramatherapy group offer a community provision to support changes in care for people with learning disabilities and mental health difficulties? British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 48(1), 59-68. https://doi.org/10.1111/bld.12312
Briere, J., & Scott, C. (2015). Complex trauma in adolescents and adults: Effects and treatment. Psychiatric Clinics, 38(3), 515–527. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psc.2015.05.004
Carroll, H. (2023). Re-storying teaching: Using narradrama to address burnout in public school teachers. Lesley University (Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses).
Clarke, V., Braun, V., & Hayfield, N. (2015). Thematic analysis. In J. A. Smith (Ed.), Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research methods (3rd ed., pp. 222–248). SAGE Publications.
Cloitre, M. (2015). The “one size fits all” approach to trauma treatment: Should we be satisfied? European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 6(1), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.3402/ejpt.v6.27344
Cook, A., Spinazzola, J., Ford, J., Lanktree, C., Blaustein, M., Cloitre, M., de Rosa, R., Hubbard, R., Kagan, R., Liautaud, J., Mallah, K., Olafson, E., & Van der Kolk, B. (2005). Complex trauma in children and adolescents. Psychiatric Annals, 35(5), 390–398. https://doi.org/10.3928/00485713-20050501-05
Corey, G. (2021). Theory and practice of counselling and psychotherapy: A South African perspective. Cengage Learning.
Courtois, C. A. (2008). Complex trauma, complex reactions: Assessment and treatment. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 41(4), 86–100. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-3204.41.4.412
Courtois, C. A., & Ford, J. D. (2012). Treatment of complex trauma: A sequenced, relationship-based approach. Guilford Press.
Crockett, J. (2022). Vocal traditions: A voice pedagogy based in Middendorf Breathwork. Voice and Speech Review, 16(2), 247–255. https://doi.org/10.1080/23268263.2021.1940728
Cronin, P., Ryan, F., & Coughlan, M. (2008). Undertaking a literature review: A step-by-step approach. British Journal of Nursing, 17(1), 38–43. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2008.17.1.28059
Danese, A., & Baldwin, J. R. (2017). Hidden wounds? Inflammatory links between childhood trauma and psychopathology. Annual Review of Psychology, 68, 517–544. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010416-044208
Danese, A., & Widom, C. S. (2020). The economic burden of childhood maltreatment in the United States. Child Abuse & Neglect, 110(2), 104-424. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104424
Davis, J. L., Petretic-Jackson, P. A., & Ting, L. (2001). Intimacy dysfunction and trauma symptomatology: Long-term correlates of different types of child abuse. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 14, 63–79. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007817914577
De Thierry, B. (2016). The simple guide to child trauma: What it is and how to help. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Derlega, V. J. (Ed.). (2013). Communication, intimacy, and close relationships. Elsevier.
DiLillo, D., Peugh, J., Walsh, K., Panuzio, J., Trask, E., & Evans, S. (2009). Child maltreatment history among newlywed couples: A longitudinal study of marital outcomes and mediating pathways. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 77(4), 680–692. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015708
Dunne, P. (2009). Narradrama: A narrative approach to drama therapy. In D. R. Johnson & R. Emunah (Eds.), Current approaches in drama therapy (pp. 172–204). Charles C. Thomas Publisher.
Durnová, A., & Mohammadi, E. (2021). Intimacy, home, and emotions in the era of the pandemic. Sociology Compass, 15(4), e12861. https://doi.org/10.1111/soc4.12861
Dvir, Y., Ford, J. D., Hill, M., & Frazier, J. A. (2014). Childhood maltreatment, emotional dysregulation, and psychiatric comorbidities. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 22(3), 149–161. https://doi.org/10.1097/HRP.0000000000000014
Emunah, R. (2013). Acting for real: Drama therapy process, technique, and performance (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203765784
Erickson, N., Julian, M., & Muzik, M. (2019). Perinatal depression, PTSD, and trauma: Impact on mother–infant attachment and interventions to mitigate the transmission of risk. International Review of Psychiatry, 31(3), 245–263. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2018.1563535
Erkkilä, J., Punkanen, M., Fachner, J., Ala-Ruona, E., Pöntiö, I., Tervaniemi, M., Vanhala, M., & Gold, C. (2011). Individual music therapy for depression: Randomised controlled trial. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 199(2), 132–139. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.110.085431
Feniger-Schaal, R., & Orkibi, H. (2020). Integrative systematic review of drama therapy intervention research. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 14(1), 68–80. https://doi.org/10.1037/aca0000210
Fitness, J., Fletcher, G. J., & Overall, N. (2007). Interpersonal attraction and intimate relationships. In M. A. Hogg & J. Cooper (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of social psychology (Concise student edition) (pp. 219–240). SAGE Publications. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781848608221.n10
Fletcher, G. J. O., Simpson, J. A., Campbell, L., & Overall, N. C. (2019). The science of intimate relationships (2nd ed.). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119519416
Gawęda, Ł., Pionke, R., Krężołek, M., Frydecka, D., Nelson, B., & Cechnicki, A. (2020). The interplay between childhood trauma, cognitive biases, psychotic-like experiences, and depression and their additive impact on predicting lifetime suicidal behavior in young adults. Psychological Medicine, 50(1), 116–124. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291718004026
George, L. K. (1993). Sociological perspectives on life transitions. Annual Review of Sociology, 19, 353–373. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.so.19.080193.002033
Godfrey, E., & Haythorne, D. (2013). Benefits of dramatherapy for Autism Spectrum Disorder: A qualitative analysis of feedback from parents and teachers of clients attending Roundabout dramatherapy sessions in schools. Dramatherapy, 35(1), 20–28. https://doi.org/10.1080/02630672.2013.773131
Gordon, J., Shenar, Y., & Pendzik, S. (2018). Clown therapy: A drama therapy approach to addiction and beyond. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 57, 88–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2017.10.005
Grof, S., & Grof, C. (2023). Holotropic breathwork: A new approach to self-exploration and therapy. State University of New York Press.
Hopper, S. I., Murray, S. L., Ferrara, L. R., & Singleton, J. K. (2019). Effectiveness of diaphragmatic breathing for reducing physiological and psychological stress in adults: A quantitative systematic review. JBI Evidence Synthesis, 17(9), 1855–1876. https://doi.org/10.11124/JBISRIR-2017-003848
Jaworska-Andryszewska, P., & Rybakowski, J. K. (2019). Childhood trauma in mood disorders: Neurobiological mechanisms and implications for treatment. Pharmacological Reports, 71(1), 112–120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharep.2018.09.006
Jennings, S. (1994). What is dramatherapy? Interviews with pioneers and practitioners. In S. Jennings, A. Cattanach, S. Mitchell, A. Chesner, & B. Meldrum (Eds.), The handbook of dramatherapy (pp. 3–12). Routledge.
Johnson, D. R. (2009). Developmental transformations: Towards the body as presence. In D. R. Johnson & R. Emunah (Eds.), Current approaches in drama therapy (pp. 65–88). Charles C Thomas Publisher.
Johnson, D. R. (2014). Trauma-centred developmental transformations. In N. Sajnani & D. R. Johnson (Eds.), Trauma-informed drama therapy: Transforming clinics, classrooms, and communities (pp. 49–71). Charles C Thomas Publisher.
Johnson, D. R., & Emunah, R. (Eds.). (2009). Current approaches in drama therapy. Charles C Thomas Publisher.
Jones, P. (1996). Drama as therapy: Theatre as living. Routledge.
Karney, B. R., Bradbury, T. N., & Lavner, J. A. (2018). Supporting healthy relationships in low-income couples: Lessons learned and policy implications. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 5(1), 33-39. https://doi.org/10.1177/2372732217747890
Keisari, S., & Palgi, Y. (2017). Life-crossroads on stage: Integrating life review and drama therapy for older adults. Aging & Mental Health, 21(10), 1079–1089. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2016.1199017
Khaleque, A. (2004). Intimate adult relationships, quality of life, and psychological adjustment. Social Indicators Research, 69(1), 351–360. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:SOCI.0000033581.40941.3b
Kliethermes, M., Schacht, M., & Drewry, K. (2014). Complex trauma. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 23(2), 339–361. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2013.12.009
Knopf, J. W. (2006). Doing a literature review. PS: Political Science & Politics, 39(1), 127–132. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1049096506060264
Lahousen, T., Unterrainer, H. F., & Kapfhammer, H. P. (2019). Psychobiology of attachment and trauma—Some general remarks from a clinical perspective. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10, 914. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00914
Landy, R. J. (1994). Drama therapy: Concepts, theories, and practices. Charles C. Thomas Publisher.
Larsen, C. D., Sandberg, J. G., Harper, J. M., & Bean, R. (2011). The effects of childhood abuse on relationship quality: Gender differences and clinical implications. Family Relations, 60(4), 435–445. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3729.2011.00660.x
Leather, J., & Kewley, S. (2019). Assessing drama therapy as an intervention for recovering substance users: A systematic review. Journal of Drug Issues, 49(3), 545–558. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022042619833530
Li, S., & Wang, H. (2018). Traditional literature review and research synthesis. In A. Phakiti, P. De Costa, L. Plonsky, & S. Starfield (Eds.), The Palgrave handbook of applied linguistics research methodology (pp. 123–144). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-59900-1_7
Lim, W. M., Kumar, S., & Ali, F. (2022). Advancing knowledge through literature reviews: ‘What,’ ‘why,’ and ‘how to contribute’. The Service Industries Journal, 42(8), 481–513. https://doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2021.2000005
Loggins, B. (2022). What is intimacy in a relationship? Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-intimacy-in-a-relationship-5199766
Magee, K. (2024). The impact of childhood trauma on intimacy: A literature review exploring Drama Therapy techniques for intimacy recovery in adult relationships. University of the Witwatersrand (master’s thesis).
MacGinley, M., Breckenridge, J., & Mowll, J. (2019). A scoping review of adult survivors’ experiences of shame following sexual abuse in childhood. Health & Social Care in the Community, 27(5), 1135–1146. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.12770
Malchiodi, C. A. (Ed.). (2022). Handbook of expressive arts therapy: Theory and practice. The Guilford Press.
Malinosky-Rummell, R., & Hansen, D. J. (1993). Long-term consequences of childhood physical abuse. Psychological Bulletin, 114(1), 68–79. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.114.1.68
Mandelli, L., Petrelli, C., & Serretti, A. (2015). The role of specific early trauma in adult depression: A meta-analysis of published literature. European Psychiatry, 30(6), 665–680. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpsy.2015.04.007
Marganska, A., Gallagher, M., & Miranda, R. (2013). Adult attachment, emotion dysregulation, and symptoms of depression and generalised anxiety disorder. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 83(1), 131–141. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajop.12001
Martinson, A., Craner, J., & Sigmon, S. (2016). Differences in HPA axis reactivity to intimacy in women with and without histories of sexual trauma. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 65, 118-126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.12.011
Martinson, A. A., Sigmon, S. T., Craner, J., Rothstein, E., & McGillicuddy, M. (2013). Processing of intimacy-related stimuli in survivors of sexual trauma: The role of PTSD. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 28(9), 1886-1908. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260512468323
Mayekiso, T., & Tshemese, M. (2007). Contextual issues: Poverty. In N. Duncan, B. Bowman, A. Naidoo, J. Pillay, & V. Roos (Eds.), Community psychology: Analysis, context, and action (pp. 150-165). UCT Press.
McMillan, D. W., & Chavis, D. M. (1986). Sense of community: A definition and theory. Journal of Community Psychology, 14(1), 6-23. https://doi.org/10.1002/1520-6629(198601)14:1<6::AID-JCOP2290140103>3.0.CO;2-I
Mills, B., & Turnbull, G. (2004). Broken hearts and mending bodies: The impact of trauma on intimacy. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 19(3), 265-289. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681990410001715480
Moodley, K., & Ross, E. (2015). Inequities in health outcomes between HIV-infected adults on antiretroviral treatment in urban and rural South Africa. PLoS ONE, 10(10), e0138753. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0138753
Moss, B. F., & Schwebel, A. I. (1993). Defining intimacy in romantic relationships. Family Relations, 42(1), 31-37. https://doi.org/10.2307/584918
Munoz, J. (2023). The breath as a holistic regulator: An expressive arts therapy community project. Expressive Arts Journal, 5(2), 76-89.
Nestor, J. (2020). Breath: The new science of a lost art. Penguin.
Nielsen, A. C. (2017). Psychodynamic couple therapy: A practical synthesis. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 43(4), 685-699. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12257
Norman, R. E., Byambaa, M., De, R., Butchart, A., Scott, J., & Vos, T. (2012). The long-term health consequences of child physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Medicine, 9(11), e1001349. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001349
Obuaku-Igwe, C. C. (2015). Health inequality in South Africa: A systematic review. African Sociological Review/Revue Africaine de Sociologie, 19(2), 96-131.
Park, Y., Impett, E. A., Spielmann, S. S., Joel, S., & MacDonald, G. (2021). Lack of intimacy prospectively predicts breakup. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 12(4), 442-451. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550620942385
Paul, J., & Criado, A. R. (2020). The art of writing literature review: What do we know and what do we need to know? International Business Review, 29(4), 101717. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2020.101717
Paul, J., & Barari, M. (2022). Meta‐analysis and traditional systematic literature reviews—What, why, when, where, and how? Psychology & Marketing, 39(6), 1099-1115. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21659
Prager, K. J. (1995). The psychology of intimacy. The Guilford Press.
Rappaport, L. (Ed.). (2014). Mindfulness and the arts therapies: Theory and practice. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Rasool, S. (2022). Adolescent exposure to domestic violence in a South African city: Implications for prevention and intervention. Gender Issues, 39(1), 99-121. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12147-021-09274-w
Reis, H. T. (2018). Intimacy as an interpersonal process. In Relationships, well-being, and behaviour (pp. 113-143). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203732496-5
Reynolds, A. (2011). Developmental transformations: Improvisational drama therapy with children in acute inpatient psychiatry. Social Work with Groups, 34(3-4), 296-309. https://doi.org/10.1080/01609513.2011.558827
Rivara, F., Adhia, A., Lyons, V., Massey, A., Mills, B., Morgan, E., Simckes, M., & Rowhani-Rahbar, A. (2019). The effects of violence on health. Health Affairs, 38(10), 1622-1629. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2019.00480
Rowe, F. (2014). What literature review is not: Diversity, boundaries, and recommendations. European Journal of Information Systems, 23(3), 241-255. https://doi.org/10.1057/ejis.2014.7
Sajnani, N., & Johnson, D. R. (2014). Trauma-informed drama therapy: Transforming clinics, classrooms, and communities. Charles C Thomas Publisher.
Schrader, C. (2012). Ritual theatre: The power of dramatic ritual in personal development groups and clinical practice. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Sguera, F., Bagozzi, R. P., Huy, Q. N., Boss, R. W., & Boss, D. S. (2020). What we share is who we are and what we do: How emotional intimacy shapes organisational identification and collaborative behaviors. Applied Psychology, 69(3), 854-880. https://doi.org/10.1111/apps.12212
Sirotnak, A. P., Grigsby, T., & Krugman, R. D. (2004). Physical abuse of children. Paediatrics in Review, 25(8), 264-277. https://doi.org/10.1542/pir.25-8-264
Steele, K., Boon, S., & van der Hart, O. (2016). Treating trauma-related dissociation: A practical, integrative approach (Norton Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology). W. W. Norton & Company.
Su, W. M., & Stone, L. (2020). Adult survivors of childhood trauma: Complex trauma, complex needs. Australian Journal of General Practice, 49(7), 423-430. https://doi.org/10.31128/AJGP-08-19-5057
Talmon, A., Uysal, A., & Gross, J. J. (2021). Childhood maltreatment and mid-life adult sexuality: A 10-year longitudinal study. Archives of Sexual Behaviour, 50(7), 1847-1862. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-021-01968-3
Toulmin, S. (1988). The recovery of practical philosophy. The American Scholar, 57(3), 337-352.
Vaillancourt-Morel, M. P., Rellini, A. H., Godbout, N., Sabourin, S., & Bergeron, S. (2019). Intimacy mediates the relation between maltreatment in childhood and sexual and relationship satisfaction in adulthood: A dyadic longitudinal analysis. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 48, 803-814. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-018-1262-9
Van der Kolk, B. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Penguin Books.
Van Wyk, R. (2008). Narrative house: A metaphor for narrative therapy. Tribute to Michael White, 16(3), 26-39. https://doi.org/10.4314/ifep.v16i2.23815
Victoria, H. K., & Caldwell, C. (2013). Breathwork in body psychotherapy: Clinical applications. Body, Movement and Dance in Psychotherapy, 8(4), 216-228. https://doi.org/10.1080/17432979.2013.838401
White, M. (1998). Narrative therapy. Workshop presented at narrative therapy intensive training.
Williamson, A. E., McGregor, D. M., & Wilson, P. (2017). Health inequalities and social determinants of health in South Africa. International Journal of Health Services, 47(3), 437-450. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020731417696513
World Health Organization (WHO). (2023). Health equity and its determinants: Global trends and progress. WHO Publications.
Yoo, H., Bartle-Haring, S., Day, R. D., & Gangamma, R. (2014). Couple communication, emotional and sexual intimacy, and relationship satisfaction. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 40(4), 275-293. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2012.751072
Berceli, D., & Napoli, M. (2006). A proposal for a mindfulness-based trauma prevention program for social work professionals. Complementary Health Practice Review, 11(3), 153–165. https://doi.org/10.1177/1533210106297989
Berkowitz, S. J. (2017). Childhood trauma and the impact of adverse childhood experiences on adult health and well-being. Childhood Trauma: Understanding the Impact of Adverse Experiences on Children and Adolescents, 11(1), 75-83.
Bezuidenhout, C. (2012). Narradrama as group therapeutic intervention in addressing inner strength of mildly intellectually impaired children who have been sexually abused. University of Johannesburg (unpublished master’s thesis).
Biddle, B. J. (1986). Recent developments in role theory. Annual Review of Sociology, 12(1), 67–92. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.so.12.080186.000435
Bourne, J., Selman, M., & Hackett, S. (2020). Learning from support workers: Can a dramatherapy group offer a community provision to support changes in care for people with learning disabilities and mental health difficulties? British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 48(1), 59-68. https://doi.org/10.1111/bld.12312
Briere, J., & Scott, C. (2015). Complex trauma in adolescents and adults: Effects and treatment. Psychiatric Clinics, 38(3), 515–527. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psc.2015.05.004
Carroll, H. (2023). Re-storying teaching: Using narradrama to address burnout in public school teachers. Lesley University (Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses).
Clarke, V., Braun, V., & Hayfield, N. (2015). Thematic analysis. In J. A. Smith (Ed.), Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research methods (3rd ed., pp. 222–248). SAGE Publications.
Cloitre, M. (2015). The “one size fits all” approach to trauma treatment: Should we be satisfied? European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 6(1), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.3402/ejpt.v6.27344
Cook, A., Spinazzola, J., Ford, J., Lanktree, C., Blaustein, M., Cloitre, M., de Rosa, R., Hubbard, R., Kagan, R., Liautaud, J., Mallah, K., Olafson, E., & Van der Kolk, B. (2005). Complex trauma in children and adolescents. Psychiatric Annals, 35(5), 390–398. https://doi.org/10.3928/00485713-20050501-05
Corey, G. (2021). Theory and practice of counselling and psychotherapy: A South African perspective. Cengage Learning.
Courtois, C. A. (2008). Complex trauma, complex reactions: Assessment and treatment. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 41(4), 86–100. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-3204.41.4.412
Courtois, C. A., & Ford, J. D. (2012). Treatment of complex trauma: A sequenced, relationship-based approach. Guilford Press.
Crockett, J. (2022). Vocal traditions: A voice pedagogy based in Middendorf Breathwork. Voice and Speech Review, 16(2), 247–255. https://doi.org/10.1080/23268263.2021.1940728
Cronin, P., Ryan, F., & Coughlan, M. (2008). Undertaking a literature review: A step-by-step approach. British Journal of Nursing, 17(1), 38–43. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2008.17.1.28059
Danese, A., & Baldwin, J. R. (2017). Hidden wounds? Inflammatory links between childhood trauma and psychopathology. Annual Review of Psychology, 68, 517–544. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010416-044208
Danese, A., & Widom, C. S. (2020). The economic burden of childhood maltreatment in the United States. Child Abuse & Neglect, 110(2), 104-424. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104424
Davis, J. L., Petretic-Jackson, P. A., & Ting, L. (2001). Intimacy dysfunction and trauma symptomatology: Long-term correlates of different types of child abuse. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 14, 63–79. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007817914577
De Thierry, B. (2016). The simple guide to child trauma: What it is and how to help. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Derlega, V. J. (Ed.). (2013). Communication, intimacy, and close relationships. Elsevier.
DiLillo, D., Peugh, J., Walsh, K., Panuzio, J., Trask, E., & Evans, S. (2009). Child maltreatment history among newlywed couples: A longitudinal study of marital outcomes and mediating pathways. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 77(4), 680–692. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015708
Dunne, P. (2009). Narradrama: A narrative approach to drama therapy. In D. R. Johnson & R. Emunah (Eds.), Current approaches in drama therapy (pp. 172–204). Charles C. Thomas Publisher.
Durnová, A., & Mohammadi, E. (2021). Intimacy, home, and emotions in the era of the pandemic. Sociology Compass, 15(4), e12861. https://doi.org/10.1111/soc4.12861
Dvir, Y., Ford, J. D., Hill, M., & Frazier, J. A. (2014). Childhood maltreatment, emotional dysregulation, and psychiatric comorbidities. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 22(3), 149–161. https://doi.org/10.1097/HRP.0000000000000014
Emunah, R. (2013). Acting for real: Drama therapy process, technique, and performance (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203765784
Erickson, N., Julian, M., & Muzik, M. (2019). Perinatal depression, PTSD, and trauma: Impact on mother–infant attachment and interventions to mitigate the transmission of risk. International Review of Psychiatry, 31(3), 245–263. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2018.1563535
Erkkilä, J., Punkanen, M., Fachner, J., Ala-Ruona, E., Pöntiö, I., Tervaniemi, M., Vanhala, M., & Gold, C. (2011). Individual music therapy for depression: Randomised controlled trial. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 199(2), 132–139. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.110.085431
Feniger-Schaal, R., & Orkibi, H. (2020). Integrative systematic review of drama therapy intervention research. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 14(1), 68–80. https://doi.org/10.1037/aca0000210
Fitness, J., Fletcher, G. J., & Overall, N. (2007). Interpersonal attraction and intimate relationships. In M. A. Hogg & J. Cooper (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of social psychology (Concise student edition) (pp. 219–240). SAGE Publications. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781848608221.n10
Fletcher, G. J. O., Simpson, J. A., Campbell, L., & Overall, N. C. (2019). The science of intimate relationships (2nd ed.). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119519416
Gawęda, Ł., Pionke, R., Krężołek, M., Frydecka, D., Nelson, B., & Cechnicki, A. (2020). The interplay between childhood trauma, cognitive biases, psychotic-like experiences, and depression and their additive impact on predicting lifetime suicidal behavior in young adults. Psychological Medicine, 50(1), 116–124. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291718004026
George, L. K. (1993). Sociological perspectives on life transitions. Annual Review of Sociology, 19, 353–373. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.so.19.080193.002033
Godfrey, E., & Haythorne, D. (2013). Benefits of dramatherapy for Autism Spectrum Disorder: A qualitative analysis of feedback from parents and teachers of clients attending Roundabout dramatherapy sessions in schools. Dramatherapy, 35(1), 20–28. https://doi.org/10.1080/02630672.2013.773131
Gordon, J., Shenar, Y., & Pendzik, S. (2018). Clown therapy: A drama therapy approach to addiction and beyond. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 57, 88–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2017.10.005
Grof, S., & Grof, C. (2023). Holotropic breathwork: A new approach to self-exploration and therapy. State University of New York Press.
Hopper, S. I., Murray, S. L., Ferrara, L. R., & Singleton, J. K. (2019). Effectiveness of diaphragmatic breathing for reducing physiological and psychological stress in adults: A quantitative systematic review. JBI Evidence Synthesis, 17(9), 1855–1876. https://doi.org/10.11124/JBISRIR-2017-003848
Jaworska-Andryszewska, P., & Rybakowski, J. K. (2019). Childhood trauma in mood disorders: Neurobiological mechanisms and implications for treatment. Pharmacological Reports, 71(1), 112–120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharep.2018.09.006
Jennings, S. (1994). What is dramatherapy? Interviews with pioneers and practitioners. In S. Jennings, A. Cattanach, S. Mitchell, A. Chesner, & B. Meldrum (Eds.), The handbook of dramatherapy (pp. 3–12). Routledge.
Johnson, D. R. (2009). Developmental transformations: Towards the body as presence. In D. R. Johnson & R. Emunah (Eds.), Current approaches in drama therapy (pp. 65–88). Charles C Thomas Publisher.
Johnson, D. R. (2014). Trauma-centred developmental transformations. In N. Sajnani & D. R. Johnson (Eds.), Trauma-informed drama therapy: Transforming clinics, classrooms, and communities (pp. 49–71). Charles C Thomas Publisher.
Johnson, D. R., & Emunah, R. (Eds.). (2009). Current approaches in drama therapy. Charles C Thomas Publisher.
Jones, P. (1996). Drama as therapy: Theatre as living. Routledge.
Karney, B. R., Bradbury, T. N., & Lavner, J. A. (2018). Supporting healthy relationships in low-income couples: Lessons learned and policy implications. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 5(1), 33-39. https://doi.org/10.1177/2372732217747890
Keisari, S., & Palgi, Y. (2017). Life-crossroads on stage: Integrating life review and drama therapy for older adults. Aging & Mental Health, 21(10), 1079–1089. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2016.1199017
Khaleque, A. (2004). Intimate adult relationships, quality of life, and psychological adjustment. Social Indicators Research, 69(1), 351–360. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:SOCI.0000033581.40941.3b
Kliethermes, M., Schacht, M., & Drewry, K. (2014). Complex trauma. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 23(2), 339–361. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2013.12.009
Knopf, J. W. (2006). Doing a literature review. PS: Political Science & Politics, 39(1), 127–132. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1049096506060264
Lahousen, T., Unterrainer, H. F., & Kapfhammer, H. P. (2019). Psychobiology of attachment and trauma—Some general remarks from a clinical perspective. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10, 914. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00914
Landy, R. J. (1994). Drama therapy: Concepts, theories, and practices. Charles C. Thomas Publisher.
Larsen, C. D., Sandberg, J. G., Harper, J. M., & Bean, R. (2011). The effects of childhood abuse on relationship quality: Gender differences and clinical implications. Family Relations, 60(4), 435–445. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3729.2011.00660.x
Leather, J., & Kewley, S. (2019). Assessing drama therapy as an intervention for recovering substance users: A systematic review. Journal of Drug Issues, 49(3), 545–558. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022042619833530
Li, S., & Wang, H. (2018). Traditional literature review and research synthesis. In A. Phakiti, P. De Costa, L. Plonsky, & S. Starfield (Eds.), The Palgrave handbook of applied linguistics research methodology (pp. 123–144). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-59900-1_7
Lim, W. M., Kumar, S., & Ali, F. (2022). Advancing knowledge through literature reviews: ‘What,’ ‘why,’ and ‘how to contribute’. The Service Industries Journal, 42(8), 481–513. https://doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2021.2000005
Loggins, B. (2022). What is intimacy in a relationship? Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-intimacy-in-a-relationship-5199766
Magee, K. (2024). The impact of childhood trauma on intimacy: A literature review exploring Drama Therapy techniques for intimacy recovery in adult relationships. University of the Witwatersrand (master’s thesis).
MacGinley, M., Breckenridge, J., & Mowll, J. (2019). A scoping review of adult survivors’ experiences of shame following sexual abuse in childhood. Health & Social Care in the Community, 27(5), 1135–1146. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.12770
Malchiodi, C. A. (Ed.). (2022). Handbook of expressive arts therapy: Theory and practice. The Guilford Press.
Malinosky-Rummell, R., & Hansen, D. J. (1993). Long-term consequences of childhood physical abuse. Psychological Bulletin, 114(1), 68–79. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.114.1.68
Mandelli, L., Petrelli, C., & Serretti, A. (2015). The role of specific early trauma in adult depression: A meta-analysis of published literature. European Psychiatry, 30(6), 665–680. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpsy.2015.04.007
Marganska, A., Gallagher, M., & Miranda, R. (2013). Adult attachment, emotion dysregulation, and symptoms of depression and generalised anxiety disorder. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 83(1), 131–141. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajop.12001
Martinson, A., Craner, J., & Sigmon, S. (2016). Differences in HPA axis reactivity to intimacy in women with and without histories of sexual trauma. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 65, 118-126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.12.011
Martinson, A. A., Sigmon, S. T., Craner, J., Rothstein, E., & McGillicuddy, M. (2013). Processing of intimacy-related stimuli in survivors of sexual trauma: The role of PTSD. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 28(9), 1886-1908. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260512468323
Mayekiso, T., & Tshemese, M. (2007). Contextual issues: Poverty. In N. Duncan, B. Bowman, A. Naidoo, J. Pillay, & V. Roos (Eds.), Community psychology: Analysis, context, and action (pp. 150-165). UCT Press.
McMillan, D. W., & Chavis, D. M. (1986). Sense of community: A definition and theory. Journal of Community Psychology, 14(1), 6-23. https://doi.org/10.1002/1520-6629(198601)14:1<6::AID-JCOP2290140103>3.0.CO;2-I
Mills, B., & Turnbull, G. (2004). Broken hearts and mending bodies: The impact of trauma on intimacy. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 19(3), 265-289. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681990410001715480
Moodley, K., & Ross, E. (2015). Inequities in health outcomes between HIV-infected adults on antiretroviral treatment in urban and rural South Africa. PLoS ONE, 10(10), e0138753. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0138753
Moss, B. F., & Schwebel, A. I. (1993). Defining intimacy in romantic relationships. Family Relations, 42(1), 31-37. https://doi.org/10.2307/584918
Munoz, J. (2023). The breath as a holistic regulator: An expressive arts therapy community project. Expressive Arts Journal, 5(2), 76-89.
Nestor, J. (2020). Breath: The new science of a lost art. Penguin.
Nielsen, A. C. (2017). Psychodynamic couple therapy: A practical synthesis. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 43(4), 685-699. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12257
Norman, R. E., Byambaa, M., De, R., Butchart, A., Scott, J., & Vos, T. (2012). The long-term health consequences of child physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Medicine, 9(11), e1001349. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001349
Obuaku-Igwe, C. C. (2015). Health inequality in South Africa: A systematic review. African Sociological Review/Revue Africaine de Sociologie, 19(2), 96-131.
Park, Y., Impett, E. A., Spielmann, S. S., Joel, S., & MacDonald, G. (2021). Lack of intimacy prospectively predicts breakup. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 12(4), 442-451. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550620942385
Paul, J., & Criado, A. R. (2020). The art of writing literature review: What do we know and what do we need to know? International Business Review, 29(4), 101717. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2020.101717
Paul, J., & Barari, M. (2022). Meta‐analysis and traditional systematic literature reviews—What, why, when, where, and how? Psychology & Marketing, 39(6), 1099-1115. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21659
Prager, K. J. (1995). The psychology of intimacy. The Guilford Press.
Rappaport, L. (Ed.). (2014). Mindfulness and the arts therapies: Theory and practice. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Rasool, S. (2022). Adolescent exposure to domestic violence in a South African city: Implications for prevention and intervention. Gender Issues, 39(1), 99-121. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12147-021-09274-w
Reis, H. T. (2018). Intimacy as an interpersonal process. In Relationships, well-being, and behaviour (pp. 113-143). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203732496-5
Reynolds, A. (2011). Developmental transformations: Improvisational drama therapy with children in acute inpatient psychiatry. Social Work with Groups, 34(3-4), 296-309. https://doi.org/10.1080/01609513.2011.558827
Rivara, F., Adhia, A., Lyons, V., Massey, A., Mills, B., Morgan, E., Simckes, M., & Rowhani-Rahbar, A. (2019). The effects of violence on health. Health Affairs, 38(10), 1622-1629. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2019.00480
Rowe, F. (2014). What literature review is not: Diversity, boundaries, and recommendations. European Journal of Information Systems, 23(3), 241-255. https://doi.org/10.1057/ejis.2014.7
Sajnani, N., & Johnson, D. R. (2014). Trauma-informed drama therapy: Transforming clinics, classrooms, and communities. Charles C Thomas Publisher.
Schrader, C. (2012). Ritual theatre: The power of dramatic ritual in personal development groups and clinical practice. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Sguera, F., Bagozzi, R. P., Huy, Q. N., Boss, R. W., & Boss, D. S. (2020). What we share is who we are and what we do: How emotional intimacy shapes organisational identification and collaborative behaviors. Applied Psychology, 69(3), 854-880. https://doi.org/10.1111/apps.12212
Sirotnak, A. P., Grigsby, T., & Krugman, R. D. (2004). Physical abuse of children. Paediatrics in Review, 25(8), 264-277. https://doi.org/10.1542/pir.25-8-264
Steele, K., Boon, S., & van der Hart, O. (2016). Treating trauma-related dissociation: A practical, integrative approach (Norton Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology). W. W. Norton & Company.
Su, W. M., & Stone, L. (2020). Adult survivors of childhood trauma: Complex trauma, complex needs. Australian Journal of General Practice, 49(7), 423-430. https://doi.org/10.31128/AJGP-08-19-5057
Talmon, A., Uysal, A., & Gross, J. J. (2021). Childhood maltreatment and mid-life adult sexuality: A 10-year longitudinal study. Archives of Sexual Behaviour, 50(7), 1847-1862. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-021-01968-3
Toulmin, S. (1988). The recovery of practical philosophy. The American Scholar, 57(3), 337-352.
Vaillancourt-Morel, M. P., Rellini, A. H., Godbout, N., Sabourin, S., & Bergeron, S. (2019). Intimacy mediates the relation between maltreatment in childhood and sexual and relationship satisfaction in adulthood: A dyadic longitudinal analysis. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 48, 803-814. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-018-1262-9
Van der Kolk, B. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Penguin Books.
Van Wyk, R. (2008). Narrative house: A metaphor for narrative therapy. Tribute to Michael White, 16(3), 26-39. https://doi.org/10.4314/ifep.v16i2.23815
Victoria, H. K., & Caldwell, C. (2013). Breathwork in body psychotherapy: Clinical applications. Body, Movement and Dance in Psychotherapy, 8(4), 216-228. https://doi.org/10.1080/17432979.2013.838401
White, M. (1998). Narrative therapy. Workshop presented at narrative therapy intensive training.
Williamson, A. E., McGregor, D. M., & Wilson, P. (2017). Health inequalities and social determinants of health in South Africa. International Journal of Health Services, 47(3), 437-450. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020731417696513
World Health Organization (WHO). (2023). Health equity and its determinants: Global trends and progress. WHO Publications.
Yoo, H., Bartle-Haring, S., Day, R. D., & Gangamma, R. (2014). Couple communication, emotional and sexual intimacy, and relationship satisfaction. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 40(4), 275-293. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2012.751072
Article Sidebar
Published
Nov 22, 2024
Article Details
How to Cite
Childhood trauma and intimacy: Exploring drama therapy for intimacy recovery in adult relationships. (2024). South African Journal of Arts Therapies, 2(2), 128-151. https://doi.org/10.36615/bqe3z633
Section
Articles
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Author Biography
Kathryn Ann Magee, University of the Witwatersrand
Kathryn Ann Magee is currently completing her Drama Therapy internship, working towards official HPCSA registration as a Drama Therapist. With a BA in Psychology and Anthropology, as well as Honours and Master’s degrees in Drama Therapy, Kathryn is deeply passionate about human welfare. Her primary focus is on using the expressive arts to support children facing emotional, psychological, and behavioural challenges. Through her academic and practical experiences, Kathryn has developed a unique approach to fostering healing and personal growth, particularly in vulnerable populations. She continues to explore the powerful impact of creative therapies in improving collective mental health and well-being.
How to Cite
Childhood trauma and intimacy: Exploring drama therapy for intimacy recovery in adult relationships. (2024). South African Journal of Arts Therapies, 2(2), 128-151. https://doi.org/10.36615/bqe3z633