Introduction: Drama therapy uses role-play, narrative, and symbolism to support the representation and reflection of psychological and social experiences. However, the specific place of Jungian archetypes, particularly the Wise Old Man, in conceptualizing drama therapy processes and their relevance to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has received limited theoretical attention.
Methods: This fundamental theoretical-analytical study used a library-based targeted literature review and conceptual analysis. Literature on Jungian analytical psychology, archetypes, drama therapy, and ASD was searched in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Scientific Information Database of the Iranian Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (SID). After screening and applying eligibility criteria, 35 sources were selected for final analysis. Concepts related to the Wise Old Man and drama therapy processes were extracted, coded, compared, and synthesized into conceptual categories.
Findings: The analysis yielded four conceptual axes: psychological guidance and direction, self-awareness and insight, meaning-making and symbolization, and psychological integration. These axes are theoretical constructs derived from the synthesis of selected sources and are not empirical dimensions or established therapeutic outcomes.
Conclusion: The proposed framework provides a conceptual link between Jungian analytical psychology, drama therapy processes, and selected psychological and social domains relevant to ASD. The findings indicate theoretical potential rather than therapeutic efficacy or causal relationships. Future qualitative and empirical studies are needed to examine the validity and applicability of this framework.