Effects of Group Sand-Play Therapy on Children's Improvement in Peer Relational Skills and Reduction in Behavioral Problems
The purpose of this study was to verify which effects the group sand-play therapy has on children's improvement in peer rela...
Effects of Group Sand-Play Therapy on Children's Improvement in Peer Relational Skills and Reduction in Behavioral Problems
The purpose of this study was to verify which effects the group sand-play therapy has on children's improvement in peer relational skills and reduction in behavioral problems.
This study targeted totally 20 children in the 3rd∼4th grade for elementary school who experienced parents' divorce at 4 local child centers where are located in Cheonan region of Chungcheongnamdo Province. 10 children in the experimental group were carried out the group sand-play therapy over totally 12 sessions for 70 minutes every session by once a week from June 26, 2008 to September 30, 208.
As for a measurement tool that was used in a research for children with the divorced home in the 3rd∼4th grade for elementary school, the peer relational skill scale and the peer evaluation scale on the peer relational skill were prepared by children, in order to compare pre-and-post effects between experimental group and control group. The teachers for local child centers were allowed to record K-CBCL(Child Behavior Checklist) scale. Thus, the effects of group sand-play therapy were verified.
The group sand-play therapy was recorded the progression every session with totally 12 sessions. The qualitative analysis was performed by solving the coding on the behavioral observation, interaction, and sequence of decorating sand box as for improvement in peer relations and reduction in behavioral problems through recording video. Through the telephone counseling or individual interview with teachers for local child centers, it confirmed children's positive behavioral change before, after and afterwards at local child centers.
The collected data in this study was analyzed with quantitative evaluation and qualitative evaluation. The data, which was used in the quantitative analysis, was used SPSS 15.0(ver.). To grasp the reliability level of scale, the reliability was analyzed by using Cronbach's coefficient. Similarity was confirmed in pre-test through analyzing t-est in the experimental group and the control group. Pre-test was controlled by ANCOVA. A change in post-test difference between two groups was compared. The qualitative analysis was carried out the peer relations and behavioral problems by individual through recording the video-recorded contents of progression in the group sand-play therapy of children in the experimental group. As for the process of group sand-play therapy, 2 sand-play supervisors were allowed to confirm effects of the positively behavioral change with children's peer relationship through supervision.
Given summarizing the main findings, those are as follows.
First, after carrying out the group sand-play therapy in the children with the divorced home, the experimental group was promoted the peer relational skill and the peer evaluation on the peer relational skill more than the control group. Thus, the effect of a program was proved.
Second, after carrying out the group sand-play therapy in the children with the divorced home, the experimental group was significantly reduced the contraction, physical symptom, behavioral problem & delinquency in internalization of depression・anxiety, behavioral problem about externalization in aggression more than the control group.
Third, as a result of examining a change in behavior by session in the progression of the group sand-play therapy targeting children with the divorced home, the children were enhanced the peer relations of respecting mutual opinion and cooperating by sharing a role, and participated in a play positively and initiatively owing to a change in positive behavior.
As can be seen in the above results, the group sand-play therapy was indicated to have effects on improvement in peer relational skills and reduction in behavioral problems in children with the divorced home.