In this study, I developed a group theraplay program capable of helping to cultivate an affirmative self-consciousness in an 'attachment relation', and applied it to Montessori education which improves sense of the self and reduces behavior problems b...
In this study, I developed a group theraplay program capable of helping to cultivate an affirmative self-consciousness in an 'attachment relation', and applied it to Montessori education which improves sense of the self and reduces behavior problems by allow infants to experience affirmative individual operations.
After that, I verified effects of the group theraplay program on a group, to which only the Montessori education was applied, a group, to which the Montessori education and the group theraplay were applied together, and a group, to which non-Montessori education was applied, according to the infants' psychological and social characteristics.
The group theraplay program is a method used to improve Self- concept and reduce the behavior problems through promotion of the attachment relation, and carried out total twenty times for ten weeks twice a week.
To verify the effects of the program by each group type, I selected a kindergarten (98 members) operating the Montessori education program and a kindergarten (45 members) operating the non-Montessori education program, and carried out the child aggression and behavior problem examinations for parents and the child aggression examination for teachers to 143 infants who are three, four and five years old and newly enter the kindergartens.
I carried out the group theraplay total twenty times twice a week by 30 minutes to ten infants who obtained points more than the neutral standard and go to the kindergarten operating the Montessori education.
After that, I compared the ten infants (the group to which the Montessori education and the group theraplay were applied together) with twelve infants belonging to the group to which only the Montessori education was applied and ten infants belonging to the group to which the non-Montessori education was applied.
To verify the effects of the program on the three groups, I used Pretest-posttest control-group design. To analyze the collected data, I carried out the quantitative analysis by the statistical method and the qualitative analysis based on behavior samples of aggressive behavior, task concentration, activity interference·rejection, and smile·laugh according to changes by each term from the contents of video tapes recording the entire term of the therapy.
As an analysis result, in the psychological characteristics of the infants (aggression, behavior problem, self- concept, social competence), the group to which the Montessori education and the group theraplay were applied together was improved more effectively than the group to which the non-Montessori education was applied. Comparing with the group to which only the Montessori education was applied, however, there were not much difference on withdrawn and self concept in behavior problem.
Such result was shown through the analysis of behavior change progress by each term of the group theraplay.
Furthermore, through interview with the parents and teachers after applying the group theraplay, I confirmed the effects that the infants were greatly reduced in behavior problems, obtained self-confidence and behaved in consideration of other's emotions.
In connection with continuousness of the effects of the group theraplay, the effects that the Montessori education and the group theraplay were applied together were continued even till ten weeks passed after the group theraplay, in aspects of aggression reported by the parents and the social competence assessed by the teachers.
In the meantime, in aspects of the behavior problem, self- concept, peer acceptence, and aggression reported by the teachers, the therapy effects were not continued.
The above results reflects that a plan to continue the therapy effects after the finish of the therapy must be prepared.
Moreover, the Montessori education group was more remarkably improved than the non-Montessori education group in aspects of the aggression, social competence and peer acceptence. However, the Montessori education group and the non-Montessori education group were not improved effectively in connection with the psychological and social characteristics in spite of a continuous measures through the after assessment. Such result reflects that a long term therapy plan must be prepared.
This study is significant that the objective usefulness and limitation of the Montessori education can be grasped through this study, and it was verified that the group theraplay program to which the Montessori education was applied was a preliminary arbitration program effective to the psychological and social characteristics to prevent long-term misdeed and violence.
Finally, I discussed therapy effects of group types to the psychological and social characteristics through the above results, and proposed clinical suggestions, limitations in study, and succeeding study in relation with the cure of behavior problems.