This thesis attempts to study the understanding of participants and development stages of drama therapists based on Kohlberg’s stages of moral development. Kohlberg’s theory of moral development stages based on his moral philosophy provides drama therapists a great reference point to establish internal standards. According to Kohlberg, development of moral reasoning can be structure as stages. Kohlberg criticizes modern society that wanders between dogmatism of coercive logic and irresponsible relativism through philosophical, psychological, educational research, and case studies. Furthermore, he suggests a growth direction of “judgement grounds” based on the “dignity of human beings.”
In many cases, psychological “patients” have problems of perception, judgment, behavior, and emotion that are beyond ordinary or normality which causes social maladjustment and psychological distress within the individual. Therefore, obtaining the step-by-step growth of judgements about what is “right” can contribute to the healthy life of participants. In order to contribute to the growth of participants, it is important that drama therapists understand the level of participants’ moral judgement. Other problems drama therapists face during the process are in the end “human problems,” tangled with other factors which are in the context of complex and different situations alike. Therefore, flexible and appropriate “judgment criteria” is more important than fixed “value standards”, or “behavior standards” in drama therapy. The importance of appropriate “judgment criteria,” in turn, makes it essential for drama therapists to set a reference point of development stage for themselves as self-assessment.
This thesis first investigates the origins and growth directions of judgment errors of participants of moral development. Secondly, it suggests the types of therapists’ development stage based on the ‘judgement criteria’. This study can help self-evaluation within the drama therapy process and check the therapist’s current capability and formulate appropriate alternatives if needed. Moreover, this thesis can help establish and fulfill one’s prospects as a therapist.