The Improv Project, Principal Investigator: Peter Felsman, MSW, Doctoral Candidate

The Detroit Creativity Project to evaluate the impact of a school-based improv course on Detroit middle and high school students’ life skills. To date, four terms of data have been collected on over 900 students across 13 schools in the Metro-Detroit Area. The survey portion of the evaluation utilizes a one group pre-/post- test design where students complete assessments on the first and last day of their improv class.

Preliminary data analyses suggest that students participating in the improv project benefit socially and psychologically from participation. In addition to students reporting that the class has helped them present their ideas more confidently in class and in job interviews, students report increases in comfort performing for others.

In the future, this project will evaluate the impact of this school-delivered improv course on social anxiety symptoms among students who screen positive for social anxiety disorder.

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