Psychodrama was introduced into the United States in 1925, and since then a number of clinical methods have developed: the therapist psychodrama, the sociodrama, role playing, analytic psychodrama, and various modifications of them.
The chief participants in a therapeutic psychodrama are the protagonist, or patient; the director, or chief therapist; the auxiliary egos, or other patient – actors; and the group. The protagonist presents either a private or a group problem; the auxiliary egos help him to bring his personal and collective drama to life and to correct it. Meaningful psychological experiences of the protagonist are given shape more thoroughly and more completely than life would permit under normal circumstances. A psychodrama can be produced anywhere, wherever patients find themselves, in a private home, a hospital, a schoolroom, or a military barracks. It sets up its “laboratory” everywhere. Most advantageous is a specially adapted therapeutic space containing a stage. Psychodrama is either protagonist – centered (the private problem of the protagonist) or group – centered (the problem of the group). In general, it is important that the theme, whether it is private or collective, be a truly experienced problem of the participants (real or symbolic). The participants should represent their experiences spontaneously, although the repetition of a theme can frequently be of therapeutic advantage. Next to the protagonist, the auxiliary egos and the chief therapist play an important part. It is their responsibility to bring the therapeutic productivity of the group to as high a level as possible.
The protagonist, in order to get into the production, must be motivated consciously or unconsciously. The motive may be, among other things, self – realization, relief from mental anguish, ability to function in a social group. He is frustrated, let us say, in the role of father or any other role in life itself, and he enjoys the mastery and realization by means of psychodrama which gives him symbolic satisfaction.