The main aim of this study is to research if a specially designed programme of Theatre Games would reinforce self-perception and self-esteem as regards students with typical mental development (aged 10 to 12) and students with mental retardation (aged 16-23). Particularly if the parameters of students’ self-perception: school capacity, athletic capacity, relations with people of the same age, physical appearance, conduct-behaviour and students’ self-esteem would be influenced by the intervention programme. Another research question was if teachers’ estimations would concur with the parents’, the students’ and the psychologist’s estimations. Furthermore, if the change of self-perception and self-esteem , through the programme of Theatre Games, would be influenced by the students’ individual differences: gender, mental development, place of residence, school of attendance.The programme of theatrical intervention included 12 meetings-workshops with Theatre Games. The questionnaire which was used for the estimation of self-perception and self-esteem (at the beginning and at the end of the programme) was “PATEM II” by Makri-Mpotsari (Greek edition of the questionaire by Harter) . During the programme Phil Jones Scale was used for the observation of the students’ participation in the Theatre Games.In the pilot study 40 students with typical mental development and 14 students with mental retardation participated. In the empirical research 230 students with typical mental development and 16 students with mental retardation participated. Four months after the end of the programme a check for the duration of the results took place and 33 students with typical mental development and 16 students with mental retardation participated. In the control groups 75 students with typical mental development and 16 students with mental retardation participated and between the first and the second estimation the time was the same but there was no theatrical intervention.As regards students with typical mental development, school capacity, relations with people of the same age, conduct-behaviour and students’ self-esteem are influenced positively. Teachers’, parents’, students’ estimations concur with each other. For these four variables the check for the duration show that the result of the positive influence does not have duration if the Theatre Games are not repeated. For the variable of the athletic capacity and the physical appearance only students see positive influence and especially for the physical appearance, they see a result with duration. Notable is that the results are independent from the class, the school, the place of residence, the gender.As regards students with mental retardation, the results show that relations with students of the same age, physical appearance, conduct-behaviour and self-esteem are influenced positively. For the first two variables the result has duration. For the other two if Theatre Games are not repeated, the result does not have duration. The variables of the school capacity and the athletic capacity are not influenced by Theatre Games.
“Am I Good Enough for You?” Features Related to Self-Perception and Self-Esteem of Brazilians from Different Socioeconomic Status
