Books / Trauma, body & expressive
Psychodrama (Volume 1)
Jacob L. Moreno’s 1946 first volume of Psychodrama collects writings and material on the origins and practice of psychodrama.
Book details
Author of listed edition: Jacob Levy Moreno
Edition: First volume (1946)
Publisher: Beacon House
Edition year: 1946
Language and origin: English (United States)
Form and genre: Clinical & Theoretical Monograph
Level: Intermediate
Historical era: 1940–1959 · Object Relations, Existential & Client-Centred
Covers: Psychodrama and dramatic action; Spontaneity and role theory; Group psychotherapy and psychodramatic practice
APA 7th reference: Moreno, J. L. (1946). Psychodrama (Vol. 1). Beacon House.
What it is & historical context
Psychodrama: First Volume was published by Beacon House in 1946. Moreno’s preface, reproduced in a catalogue record, describes a collection of papers, statements and psychodramatic material. The complete book was not reviewed for this entry.
Core clinical themes & arguments
Psychodrama uses guided dramatic action to explore situations and relationships. The British Psychodrama Association describes the roles of a director, an action area and group members. These descriptions of current practice do not establish the exact contents of every edition of Moreno’s book.
Clinical practice, reception & legacy
A 2018 review examined literature on Morenian psychodrama and developed definitions for 11 techniques, including role reversal and doubling. Its literature search was conducted in 2012 and the proposed list was discussed with 22 European psychodramatists. The review describes techniques; it does not establish the effectiveness of a treatment or the origin of every technique.
Reader level & educational scope
This historical record is based on a bibliography, a catalogue description, a professional association’s description of current practice and a later review. The complete 1946 book was not read. It does not recommend psychodrama for an individual or evaluate its clinical outcomes.
Paired academic and clinical scholarship
Paired work: The Core Techniques of Morenian Psychodrama: A Systematic Review of Literature (Ana Cruz, Célia M. D. Sales, Paula Alves and Gabriela Moita, 2018)
Reference: Cruz, A., Sales, C. M. D., Alves, P., & Moita, G. (2018). The core techniques of Morenian psychodrama: A systematic review of literature. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, Article 1263.
A review of psychodrama literature identified and described core techniques; it did not test treatment effectiveness or trace the origin of every technique.
Source-mapped claims and evidence notes
Claim 1: The first volume of Psychodrama was published by Beacon House in 1946. (The Moreno Museum bibliography and WorldCat record identify author, volume, publisher and year.) [Source 1: Moreno Museum Association. Bibliography of works by J. L. Moreno and Z. T. Moreno.]
Claim 2: A later review identified role reversal, doubling and other techniques in the Morenian psychodrama literature. (Cruz and colleagues reviewed texts identified by a 2012 search and consulted psychodramatists; the review did not establish which techniques were invented by Moreno or test treatment outcomes.) [Source 3: Cruz, A., Sales, C. M. D., Alves, P., & Moita, G. (2018). The core techniques of Morenian psychodrama: A systematic review of literature. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, Article 1263.]
Sources and inspection notes
Moreno Museum Association. Bibliography of works by J. L. Moreno and Z. T. Moreno.
Supports: Lists Moreno’s Psychodrama, Volume 1, as published by Beacon House in 1946.
WorldCat. Psychodrama: First volume. Catalogue record.
Supports: Records the 1946 volume and reproduces a preface describing the planned collection; the complete book was not read.
Supports: Literature review of Morenian psychodrama techniques, based on a 2012 search and discussion with 22 European psychodramatists; not a review of clinical treatment outcomes.
British Psychodrama Association. Psychodrama.
Supports: Professional association’s description of dramatic action, the director, action area and group members in current psychodrama practice.