In the modern world the rapid changes that take place in society have led the structure and function of family to change and children suffer from emotional anxiety and maladjustment. As such the number of children experiencing difficulty at home and a...
In the modern world the rapid changes that take place in society have led the structure and function of family to change and children suffer from emotional anxiety and maladjustment. As such the number of children experiencing difficulty at home and amongst friends is ever increasing. Children of school ages are especially prone to experience problems related to maladaptive behavior caused by ADHD. If children suffering from ADHD are ignored, their ability to adapt to society may deteriorate and turn them into children with problems. Therefore, a comprehensive method of treatment capable of eliminating such maladaptive behavior at an early stage and help the children adapt is required. The issue of children's maladaptive behavior show a negative correlation to emotions.
Therefore, this study uses the culture of ceremonial tea making, which encompasses the emotions and traditions of our people, to develop and implement a tea culture therapy’s program and studies the effects said program has in terms of improving the maladaptive behavior by children with ADHD, the final goal being to provide the basic data needed for the promotion of our traditional tea culture in elementary schools.
In order to achieve the goals of this study, children suffering from ADHD were chosen from a group of students attending an after school class at the ○○ daycare center in Busan. These children were then subjected to 12 sessions of tea culture therapy’s program. In order to determine the effects of tea culture therapy’s program with regards to the maladaptive behavior by children with ADHD, the ex facto and post facto ACTeRS tests were comparatively analyzed as well as the frequency of maladaptive behavior during the sessions, the K-HTP picture test, and the observation records.
The results of this study are as follows.
First, the ability to concentrate of all of the subjects was enhanced after being subjected to tea culture therapy’s progrna. A high level of concentration is required in picking up the necessary tea making utensils and making the tea by following the correct sequence of activities. Also, we can see that the act of drinking tea, using the tea making equipment, and making the tea itself acts as a medium that leads the children suffering from ADHD fo focus for long periods of time.
Secondly, all of the subjects showed a reduced amounts of excessive activity after being subjected to the program. This seems to be due to the fact that the children suffering from ADHD were able accumulate experience in self control and regulation by taking controlled actions and conducting a certain ritual by following the designated process of making tea.
Third, all of the subjects showed improved social skills after being subject to the program. The children with ADHD learned to respect and be considerate of others by making and serving tea, and by acquiring a respectful tone and attitude by learning tea etiquette, they naturally acquired social skills such as respecting moral standards and rules.
Fourth, the hostile actions of all of the subjects decreased after being subjected to the program. This seems to be because the peaceful ambience of the tea drinking and tea meditation sessions help the children with ADHD acquire emotional stability and the children's pride was enhanced as by the fact that their serving tea is a meaningful act towards others and that they were respected accordingly.
In conclusion, it can be said that this tea culture therapy’s program was effective with respect to improving the maladaptive behaviors of children suffering from ADHD.
As such, this therapy’s program using tea culture is effective with respect to improving the maladaptive behaviors of children suffering from ADHD, which signifies that it can be used as an effective educational activity for enhancing the attention span, self control, and self regulation abilities of primary school children, who are prone to be inattentive and take excessive actions.