Bibliotherapy emphasizes the textual nature of MUDS. It involves the use of selected reading materials as therapeutic aids to help people solve their personal problems, enhance their emotional development and facilitate personal growth. Five processes are involved in Bibliotherapy:
1. Identification with the character from the reading material. In this step the person is to identify with the character from the reading material. The individual tries to relate to the actions and behaviors of the character so as to develop a sense of understanding of who the character is.
2. Catharsis through the sharing of motivations, conflicts and emotions of the character. After the person identifies with the character, the person internalizes the actions and emotions of the character. The goal in this step is for the person to become involve with the character by sharing their motivations and emotions, to make a connection beyond just reading the material.
3. Insight as the reader transfers understanding of the character's personality and motivations to his or her own life. By developing a connection to the character, the person can relate some of the experiences of the character to his/her own life situation. To deal with a problem the individual can imagine what the character will do with the problem and then apply it to his/her situation. The goal is for the person to learn from the character actions and how it parallels his/her real life situation.
4. Self understanding/universalization as the reader recognizes that he/she shares some of the same problems facing the character and is therefore not alone. Often people who have emotional problems feel as though they are alone. In bibliotherapy, a reading material that parallels to the person's problem may be used as a therapeutic means. If the person identifies with the character, then maybe he/she would realize that he/she is not alone. The character shares some of the problems he/she is experiencing and thus, does not feel as alone and isolated.
5. Evaluation and positive change in attitudes, beliefs or behavior. The ultimate goal of bibliotherapy is to change the person's behavior, to find a solution to the problem. Through identifying with the character and gaining insight as to how the character deals with a situation, perhaps, the person will develop new skills and attitudes that the character display. The character will serve as a role model in which the person can imitate.
Psychodrama takes into consideration the role playing aspects of MUDDING. Psychodrama is a group therapeutic approach intended to elicit the expression of feelings and attitudes that underlie personal problems through the use of casual dramatic role playing. The goal of psychodrama is to assist subjects to relive and re-evaluate their problems in role playing form in order to enable them to face their concerns directly and immediately in the present. The subjects are to actively participate in the drama of role paying in order to gain perspective on their own motivations and feelings and to practice working through their problems within a safe and supportive context. By participating in role playing, the individual can identify with the character's actions and behavior and apply it to their own situations. Psychodrama is means in which people can solve act out their problems and explore the alternative ways to solve their problems. Through psychodrama a person can decide which approach would be the best way to solve a problem. The goal of psychodrama is for the individual to gain insight from the experiences of role playing different characters.
T-Group emphasizes the social interaction factors of MUDS environment. T-Groups are sometimes referred to as sensitivity training or the human relations workshop. T-Group is intended as an intensive experience in interpersonal self study and as a method of learning how to improve interpersonal skills and to understand the phenomena of group dynamics by participation in a group. T-Groups encourages participants to free themselves from their standard ways of behaving and viewing themselves and others in interpersonal situations. It also attempts to create an atmosphere of trust and cooperation, promoting self disclosure, the sharing of honest and constructive feedback and the development of recognized group norms of behavior.
Concerns about therapeutic use of MUDS include the lasting effect
of on-line therapy on face to face reality, the issue of anonymity, the
difficulty of therapist to keep track of group interactions and patients
control of self presentation and coping mechanism, and what are the legal
and ethical guidelines of MUD based therapy.
There are some benefits to on-line therapy. On-line therapy provides
for the opportunity for people who are geographically far, physically unable
to visit a therapist or are uncomfortable to meet face-to-face face with
a therapist to have access to therapy sessions through cyberspace.
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