The effects of drama activities on social skills of 5-6 years old children who enrolled in preschool institute

This study which is a quasi-experimental, aimed that the effects of drama activities on social skills of 5-6 years old children who enrolled in a preschool institute.Fourty-three children who enrolled in a middle socio-economic status school, involved in the study. The experimental group (n=21) participated in a 15 week drama program which the first 6 weeks involved warm-up activities, consisted 22 creative drama sessions developed and practiced by researcher. Whereas the control group (n=22) proceeded the routine curriculum but lack of drama activities. The groups pre-tested and post-tested on Parent Survey of Social Skills of the Initiating and Maintaining the Relationships, Teacher Survey of Social Skills of the Initiating and Maintaining the Relationships, Sociometric Tests, Who is this? technique and semi-structured parent interviews.According to results, the difference between pre-test and post-test of the groups for sum scores of the Parent Survey of Social Skills of the Initiating and Maintaining the Relationships were not found statictically significant (p>.05). The difference between pre-test and post-test of the groups for sum scores of the Teacher Survey of Social Skills of the Initiating and Maintaining the Relationships were found statictically significant (p<.05). According to pre-test and post-test sociometric analyse results, for the sociometric statuses which gained from the peers of the children, positive differences has been observed in favor of the experimental group. In regard to the views and perceptions of the parents about the changes of the social skills of their children, the experimental group parents have been observed the positive changes about the social skills subscales and progress in social interecations more than the control group has. As for control group parents, at first, they have been observed the academic changes and progress in social interecations with the others.