Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
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Research Article

The Efficacy of Culturally Adapted Plot-Based Improvisational Drama Therapy Intervention for Autistic Children: “The Peony Pavilion” Project’s Effect on Chinese Autistic Children’s Social-Emotional and Communication Skills

Baoyi WangShanghai Starriver Bilingual School* Yifan JiangNational University of Singapore

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) presents challenges in social communication and interaction. While drama therapy (DT) shows promise as an intervention, there is a lack of empirically validated culturally adapted programs, particularly in China, and the inclusion of individuals with language impairments. This study proposes to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a 12-week plot-based improvisational drama therapy intervention for Chinese autistic children. Grounded in the classic Kunqu opera “The Peony Pavilion” and adapting principles from the Hunter Heartbeat Method, this intervention aims to improve social interaction, facial/emotion recognition, and language skills. A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design will compare 9 autistic children (1 female, 8 males, aged 10 to 15) participating in the DT intervention at a specialized school in Shanghai with 9 autistic children (1 female, 8 males, aged 12 to 14) participating in a Hulusi (gourd flute) music class as an active control group. Standardized measures and observational data assessed changes in social interaction, facial recognition, verbal/nonverbal language, and emotion sensitivity. Results show that the total CARS score reduction is significantly greater in the experimental group (t(52) = -3.292, p = 0.002), indicating that participants in the drama therapy group demonstrated significantly greater improvements compared to participants in the Hulusi control group. Specifically, the drama therapy group shows significant improvement in imitation, emotional response, and verbal/nonverbal communication skills. These findings provide preliminary evidence that this culturally adapted drama therapy intervention is an effective method for reducing core symptoms of autism in children.

Keywords: drama therapy; autism; cultural adaptation
Published: October 14, 2025
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2025.NE28291
Volume: CHR Vol.87
pp. 26-41
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