This research aims to explore the Social Emotional Competence of university students aged 18-22 coping with experiences of "separation" and feelings of "regret" through an Expressive Arts Workshop. Adopting an action research design, this study was conducted at the National Taiwan University of Arts. Six participants were selected through purposive sampling, specifically targeting individuals with explicit experiences of "regret" or "separation." To facilitate physical and theatrical artistic activities, the workshops were held in a drama rehearsal space featuring black vinyl and wooden flooring. The research data were collected through eight workshop sessions (totaling 24 hours), participant feedback, analysis of artworks, and pre- and post-activity semi-structured interviews. The study is based on ritual theory, which includes three stages: separation, liminality, and aggregation. This structure provides students with a symbolic framework about Chaos and Rebirth for emotional transformation. This research combined with the multimodal characteristics of expressive arts and the three stages of the ritual theory lets participants explore self-awareness and self-management in Social Emotional Competence. Through improvisational drama, painting, and mixed media, participants are guided to externalize their emotions, facilitating emotional release and meaning reconstruction. Ultimately, through the process of artistic creation, this study helps university students in transforming negative emotions and enhancing their Social Emotional Competence to navigate their future lives with positivity.

Authors:
Yu Chien Chou, National Taiwan University of Arts, Taiwan

About the Presenter(s)
Chou Yu-Chien, a graduate student at NTUA. General interests include expressive arts and emotional transformation. Current project: Exploring College Students' Social Emotional Competence through Expressive Arts Workshops.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule

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