The purpose of this study is to find out if theraplay can change problem behavior, improve social ability, and form proper interaction with others of autistic children. In other words, this study has the purpose of verifying that theraplay is an effec...
The purpose of this study is to find out if theraplay can change problem behavior, improve social ability, and form proper interaction with others of autistic children. In other words, this study has the purpose of verifying that theraplay is an effective approaching method in improving social ability and changing problem behavior of autistic children.
The study subjects are as follows.
1. What kind of changes does theraplay bring to problem behavior of an autistic child?
1-1. Did eye contact behavior of the autistic child become positive after theraplay?
1-2. Did smile and laugh behavior of the autistic child become positive after theraplay?
1-3. Did secession behavior of the autistic child become positive after theraplay?
1-4. Did concentration behavior of the autistic child become positive after theraplay?
2. How does interaction phase of the child appear during theraplay?
2-1. How does interaction phase between the child and mother appear during theraplay?
2-2. How does interaction phase between the child and therapist appear during theraplay?
To find answers for the above questions, this study performed 30 sessions of theraplay once a week from January to September 2004 to one autistic male child who was fifth grade (11 years old).
To verify the study subjects, this study collected qualitative and quantitative data. Video tapes that recorded all sessions of theraplay and representation of the child were qualitative data. Quantitative data thorough psychological tests and observation of behavior change were collected to support the study results of qualitative data. Childhood Autism Rating Scale, Wechsler's Intelligence Scale, Social Maturity Test, Child Adolescent Behavior Rating Scale, and Child Behavior Change Observation Record were collected as quantitative data. Using videotapes that recorded all sessions, it analyzed behavior change and interaction phase of the child. This study conducted Child Adolescent Behavior Rating Scale and Wilcoxon Signed Ranks to see changes in autistic characteristics, compared before and after results of KEDI-WISC, and also compared the original scores and T scores before and after K-CBCL and Social Maturity Test.
The study results are as follows.
First, after analyzing the whole theraplay process to observe positive change in each behavior, it found out that theraplay had positive effect on eye contact, smileㆍlaugh, secession behavior, and concentration behavior. Also, according to the change in behavior represented using graph, the child spent more time in eye contact, smileㆍlaugh, and concentration as theraplay progresses while secession behavior decreased. That is, theraplay had positive effect on problem behavior of the autistic child.
Second, after analyzing all process of theraplay to see if there's any change according to interaction characteristics between the child and others, it showed that there was a positive interaction change between the child and mother as well as the child and therapist. The results of comprehensive tests conducted to support the above phenomenon showed positive representation on family, interest in outer world, and improved recognition of others and social ability indicating that theraplay has positive effect in emotional exchange and linguistic interaction as increased physical contact between the child and mother as well as the child and therapist.
According to the above results, theraplay changes problem behavior of autistic children positively and is effective in improving interpersonal ability.