Improvisational theater, meditation and games support anxious teens

Adolescence is a crucial stage of emotional development where heightened vulnerability often leads to mental health issues. One in seven young people aged 10-19 worldwide faces a mental health condition, making it essential to equip them with social and emotional skills for academic success and coping with life's challenges. A team of researchers from UNIGE, UniDistance Suisse, the University of Fribourg, and Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) investigated the effects of three classroom-based activities on 300 students aged 15 and over from three Geneva schools.

Over nine weeks, the students engaged in weekly 90-minute sessions of either improvisational theater, mindfulness meditation, or emotion-focused board games, with a control group attending a 90-minute weekly office skills course.

The study found that overall, these activities did not significantly improve students' social and emotional skills. However, among students with moderate to high levels of anxiety at the start of the study, participating in improvisational theater, mindfulness meditation, or board games prevented a decline in emotional and behavioral difficulties and self-efficacy.

Improvisational theater showed the most promise, with students reporting increased cognitive empathy—the ability to understand others' perspectives—and greater willingness to collaborate. This activity, particularly enjoyable during adolescence, creates a social laboratory where students can express emotions, recognize others' emotions, and adapt to one another in a playful setting.

These findings highlight the importance of offering experiential, playful, and socially connected activities within schools to support vulnerable adolescents, as they may provide a safe space for active participation and peer interaction.