Radio theater-based prison artistic intervention: a mixed-method evaluation

Background: Literature research has documented promising evidence that participating in prison arts programs is associated with positive socioemotional outcomes among inmates (e.g. emotional regulation, self-efficacy, self-control). Theater radio produced by incarcerated people is beginning to draw academic interest to help inmates with their rehabilitation process. However, there is a lack of studies exploring the impact of this alternative artistic intervention on a psychosocial level. Thus, the main goal of this study is to strengthen the body of evidence about the benefits of a radio theater-based prison artistic intervention on incarcerated people. This evaluation presents a mixed-methods analysis of the first year of a 36 months (about 3 years) project conducted in the prison setting.  

Methods: This study included 42 inmates (21 from the control group; 21 from the intervention group) from a prison in the inland region of Portugal. The radio theater-based intervention program was conducted from October 2022 to July 2023 (10 months), with weekly sessions conducted by performing art professionals. The program covered: (i) co-construction of the script for the radio plays; (ii) interpretation, rehearsing and recording of the audio; (iii) dissemination of the episodes on national radio. Participants completed the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Brief Self-Control Scale and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale and an experimental task involving the Go/No-Go paradigm to assess inhibitory control. At the end of the intervention, a focus group was held to access insights into participants’ experiences, regarding the intervention’s benefits, barriers and facilitators to participation, and suggestions for improvement.  
 
Results: Quantitative preliminary results suggested that self-control showed a significant improvements from baseline to the post-intervention period  only in the group that received the program (ɲ²p=0.10). Data obtained from the experimental paradigm was consistent with this result as it showed a significant group-time interaction effect in terms of the ability to inhibit habitual responses. The intervention group had a lower false alarm rate from pre-test to post-test (ɲ²p=0.19). Furthermore, qualitative reports demonstrated that the intervention seemed to improve oral expression skills, as well as communication between peers. 

Conclusions: This radio theater-based intervention seems to be promising in promoting the ability to restrict or inhibit impulses and less adaptive emotional and/or behavioral responses. In a context marked by greater hostility, this is an essential skill that has been associated with minimizing recidivism and greater goal orientation. Future studies should continue to invest in understanding the effect of interventions like this in a context of deprivation of liberty.