Abstract
This study investigated a Theatresports program implemented in a social work setting in Hong Kong to cultivate all-round positive development in youth. We investigated participants’ feelings of the program to generate insights for the development of youth services. Qualitative research was performed with 92 participants of the program. Thematic analysis was performed to analyze the participants’ feelings and opinions of the program. Participants acquired a range of skills and abilities, in terms of intrapersonal (e.g., problem-solving skills, positive thinking, self-reflective ability) and interpersonal (e.g., collaborative skills). Besides, they established a positive identity, and obtained support from peers and viewed it as important. Meanwhile, a few of the participants had other feelings and viewpoints, showing that the social workers’ role in hel** participants consolidate their gaming experiences is important for facilitating participants’ personal growth. Based on the results, we recommend that developmental services be extensively developed in youth settings, particularly in Hong Kong.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baldwin, A. (2009). Applied theater: Performing the future. Australasian Psychiatry, 17(S1), S133–S136.
Bowell, P., & Heap, B. (2005). Drama on the run: A prelude to map** the practice of process drama. The Journal of Aesthetic Education, 39(4), 58–69.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3, 77–101.
Chan, G. H. Y. (2021). Applied theater: Using improvisation in social services as an illustrating example. Journal of Social Work, 21(4), 871–890. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468017320948681
Chiu, S. W. S. (2005). Rethinking youth problems in a risk society: Some reflections on working with “youth-at-risk” in Hong Kong. In F. W. L. Lee (Ed.), Working with youth-at-risk in Hong Kong (pp. 99–112). Hong Kong University Press.
Cole, J. (2016). I've got your back: Utilizing improve as a tool to enhance workplace relationships. Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) Capstone Projects. Retrieved January 18, 2018, from http://repository.upenn.edu/mapp_capstone/95
Compton, B. R., & Galaway, B. (1999). Social work processes (6th ed.). London: Brooks/Cole.
Ebue, M., Uche, O., & Agha, A. (2017). Levels of intervention in social work. In U. Okoye, N. Chukwu, & P. Agwu (Eds.), Social work in Nigeria: Book of readings (pp. 84–92). University of Nigeria Press Ltd.
Ellemers, N., Spears, R., & Doosje, B. (2002). Self and social identity. Annual Review of Psychology, 53(1), 161–186. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.53.100901.135228
Engelberts, M. (2004). “Alive and present”: Theatresports and contemporary live performance. Theater Research International, 29, 155–173.
Etikan, I., Musa, S. A., & Alkassim, R. S. (2016). Comparison of convenience sampling and purposive sampling. American Journal of Theoretical and Applied Statistics, 5(1), 1–4.
Evangelical Lutheran Church Social Service—Hong Kong. (2015). ELCHK x Theatresports. Retrieved April 26, 2022, from http://tsao2015.wixsite.com/index/about
Evangelical Lutheran Church Social Service—Hong Kong. (2017). 1 Mission, 1 heart: 2016–2017 Annual Report. Retrieved April 26, 2022, from http://service.elchk.org.hk/eng/filedata/tbl_annual_report/doc/18_6.pdf
Evangelical Lutheran Church Social Service—Hong Kong. (2018). Be the light: 2017–2018 Annual Report. Retrieved April 26, 2022, from https://service.elchk.org.hk/filedata/tbl_annual_report/doc/19_4.pdf
Evangelical Lutheran Church Social Service—Hong Kong. (2022a). Theatresports. Retrieved April 26, 2022, from https://service.elchk.org.hk/hot_project.php?pkey=114&tab=1&sub_tab=0
Evangelical Lutheran Church Social Service—Hong Kong. (2022b). Latest news. Retrieved April 26, 2022, from http://service.elchk.org.hk/eng/news_details.php?pkey=2812
International Theatresports Institute [ITI]. (2017). A guide to Keith Johnstone’s Theatresports. Calgary, AB: Author.
International Theatresports Institute. (2022). Members. Retrieved April 26, 2022, from https://impro.global/membership/members
Johnstone, K. (1981). Impro: Improvisation and the theater. Eyre Methuen.
Johnstone, K. (1999). Impro for storytellers. Routledge.
Just Education Services Organization. (2014). Theatresports™. Retrieved April 26, 2022, from http://eznow8d2gyliw7.pic6.eznetonline.com/upload/Introduction%20of%20theatresportsTM_TC%20edit_Gai5.pdf
Konopka, G. (1983). Social group work: A hel** process (3rd ed.). Prentice-Hall.
Larson, R. W., & Brown, J. R. (2007). Emotional development in adolescence: What can be learned from a high school theater program? Child Development, 78, 1083–1099.
Lemon, K. N., & Verhoef, P. C. (2016). Understanding customer experience throughout the customer journey. Journal of Marketing, 80(6), 69–96. https://doi.org/10.1509/jm.15.0420
Magic If Media. (2013). Keith Johnstone N° 1—La peur et le risqué [Video file]. Retrieved January 18, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x69u3D8tppk&t=3s
McLaughlin, J. (2014). The spontaneity drain: The social pressures that shaped and then exiled Keith Johnstone's improvisation [Paper presentation]. Comedy and Society Symposium, School of Drama, Music and Screen, University of Hull, UK.
Northen, H. (1976). Psychosocial practice in small groups. In R. W. Roberts & H. Northen (Eds.), Theories of social work with groups. Columbia University Press.
Pathare, S. (2010). The social group worker’s role in group work process. In G. Thomas (Ed.), Social work intervention with individuals and groups (pp. 270–287). Indira Gandhi National Open University.
Pérez, E. (2014). Gamification and performance: Design challenges when using games to enable alternative ways of engaging with theater. Retrieved April 26, 2022, from http://ceur-ws.org/Vol-1196/cosecivi14_submission_15.pdf
Prigge-Pienaar, S. (2018). Who’s game? Embodied play in theatre and sport. South African Theatre Journal, 31(1), 133–145. https://doi.org/10.1080/10137548.2017.1415167
Ramos, N. C., & Bellerin, M. M. (2019). Social work and applied theater: Creative experiences with a group of homeless people in the city of Seville. European Journal of Social Work, 22(3), 485–498.
Salinsky, T., & Frances-White, D. (2008). The improv handbook: The ultimate guide to improvising in comedy, theater, and beyond. The Continuum International Publishing Inc.
Seow, L. S. E., Sambasivam, R., Chang, S., Subramaniam, M., Lu, H. S., Assudani, H. A., Tan, C. Y. G., & Vaingankar, J. A. (2021). A qualitative approach to understanding the holistic experience of psychotherapy among clients. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.667303
Social Welfare Department. (2020). Services for young people. Retrieved December 23, 2021, from https://www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_young/
Social Welfare Department. (2022). Navigation scheme for young persons in care services. Retrieved April 26, 2022, from https://www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_elderly/sub_NSYPCC/
Tam, H. L. (2012). A discourse and practice gap in working with youth-at-disadvantage in the outreach social work service in Hong Kong. Children and Youth Services Review, 34(8), 1570–1580.
TEDx Talks. (2016). Don’t do your best: Keith Johnstone [Video file]. Retrieved January 18, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bz9mo4qW9bc&feature=share
Thompson, J. (2003). Applied theater: Bewilderment and beyond. Peter Lang.
Voorhees, C. M., Fombelle, P. W., Gregoire, Y., Bone, S., Gustafsson, A., Sousa, R., et al. (2017). Service encounters, experiences and the customer journey: Defining the field and a call to expand our lens. Journal of Business Research, 79, 269–280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2017.04.014
Yamamoto, R. H. (2017). Serious fun: The power of improvisation for learning and life. Hamilton Books.
Funding
This work was supported by Evangelical Lutheran Church Social Service-Hong Kong.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The author received funding from Evangelical Lutheran Church Social Service-Hong Kong.
Research Involving Human Participants and/or Animals
The study was approved by the Ethics Research Committee of City University of Hong Kong and was performed in accordance with the ethical standards as laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
Informed Consent
Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chan, G.H. A Qualitative Inquiry into the Outcomes of a Theatresports Social Service Program in Hong Kong. Child Adolesc Soc Work J 41, 407–415 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-022-00863-3
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-022-00863-3