The Use of Role Playing Techniques as an Instructional Aid in Teaching about Dying, Death, and Bereavement

Abstract

Role playing exercises are useful in teaching health care professionals about issues related to dying, death, and bereavement. This paper includes examples of role playing vignettes related to attitudes toward death, the dynamics of family interaction in the context of life-threatening illness, the consideration of an ethical issue, displaced anger toward the caregiver, the role of personality traits in adaptation to illness, and consideration of religious issues. The vignettes simulate clinical situations, facilitate observable interpersonal transactions, provide confrontation, illustrate psychodynamic principles and highlight dimensions involved in caring for the dying patient and his family. The exercises allow students to integrate the experiential and cognitive components of the teaching situation. Role playing is particularly useful in teaching a multidisciplinary class, encouraging the reevaluation of preconceived stereotypes, and facilitating the observation and working through of role conflict.