A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THEATRE-BASED INTERVENTIONS TO ADDRESS BULLYING IN THE UK, IRELAND, AND SAUDI ARABIA

Abstract

Abstract The current study explored the use and effectiveness of theatre-based interventions to address bullying in the UK, Ireland, and Saudi Arabia. The study adopted a comparative analysis, and data were collected from existing published sources. The data collected were thematically analysed. One crucial finding was that the UK and Ireland have many laws to address bullying, such as the UK’s Equality Act, 2010 and the Irish Children First Act, 2015. However, laws in Saudi Arabia have yet to be fully developed to specifically deal with school-based bullying. Theatre-based interventions, such as role-play and drama, were implemented in the UK and Ireland and were found to be effective in reducing bullying rates among learners. The interventions helped increase students’ knowledge of how to resist bullies and develop better social skills. The main success of theatre-based interventions involves the active involvement of teachers and students in theatre activities. Additionally, the major challenges affecting theatre-based interventions include teachers’ inadequate knowledge of dramatisation and the temporary nature of the positive impact of theatre-based interventions on student behaviour. A key recommendation from the study is that Saudi Arabia should promote drama workshops in schools to empower students and enable them to address bullying issues. Keywords: Bullying, theatre, interventions, Saudi Arabia, UK, Ireland, role-play