The method is attractive due to its playful content, efficient due to the depth of the
intervention, and can be used in individual and group counselling. In the first instance
different roles will be played in succession (e.g. professions) or the same role in different
situations / contexts. Used in groups, the method favours social learning that leads to
changes in attitude and behaviour of the participants.
Role-play can be used by itself or associated with other methods: case study, debate,
group discussion, occupational profile analysis.
Classification
The main forms of role-play are (Zlate, M.: Zlate, C., 1982):
- play based on a given role, following a scenario, including two parts:
presentation of the situation / topic and the scenario itself; - play based on an improvised role, created by the person playing the part with
vague information on the character to be interpreted, “the actors” will
perform the role by the tips given, the personal style, the global evolution of
the situation, and in case of unexpected events they are told to behave as they
would in a real life situation. This type of play involves on the part of actors
spontaneity and creativity; - play based on mixed roles, passing from scenario to improvisation; role-play
based on scenario would be continued with role improvisation for finding
solutions; - play based on role reversal takes place when two people in conflict or in
opposition switch places (Feltham; Dryden, 1993). As a consequence, one
better understands the inner life of the other, how one’s own reactions can be
brought to the attention of another person, involvement in various
interpersonal exchanges is practiced. For example, in rational emotive
therapy – RET, there is the “rational role reversal”, situation in which the
client play the role of the counsellor and analyses irrational beliefs that cause
dysfunctional behaviours, expressed by the counsellor, who takes the position
of the client.
Gugel (2002) classifies role-play based on the degree of structuring. The author identifies:
- Spontaneous role-play, including few prescriptions, and in which the
participants have much room for self-expression; roles are played completely
individually; this type of role-play uses the following means:
prompted role-play: presupposes the intervention of the moderator to
stimulate participation, creativity in the participants,