Formation of positive self-image operates as one of the most effective factors for pre-adolescence children's personality, Therefore, the purpose of this study is to verify if the theraplay program proposed in this research can promote children's self...
Formation of positive self-image operates as one of the most effective factors for pre-adolescence children's personality, Therefore, the purpose of this study is to verify if the theraplay program proposed in this research can promote children's self-esteem and sociality
For the verification of the effects of this theraplay, the following research issueswere suggested.
1.Is the group theraplay program effective for the promotion of children's self-esteem?
2.Is the group theraplay program effective for the promotion of children's sociality?
3. How does the behavior change of the children participating in the group theraplay appear at each session?
The subjects consist 14 children In the 5th or 6th grade of elementary school;7 in the experiment group, and 7 in the controlled group. The experiment were carried out for the 7 children in the experiment group, totally 10 times for 6 weeks. For the 14 subjects, the Self-esteem Scales and the Sociality Scales were performed before and after the application of the program.
The major results obtained from this study are as follows:
The t-test of the results from the Self-esteem Rating Scales pre-test did not show
a significant difference between the experiment group and the controlled group.
However, after the application of the program, the t-test of the results from the
Self-esteem Scales post-test showed a significant difference between the two groups(t=3.00, p<.05). The ANCOVA with the pre-test as a covariate revealed a significant difference between the experiment group and the controlled group; the post-test results for the experiment group were higher than those for the controlled group(F(1,12)=2292.86, p<.001), Therefore, the theraplay program was found to promote children's self-esteem.
The t-test of the results from the Sociality Rating Scales pre-test did not show
a significant difference between the experiment group and the controlled group.
However, after the application of the program, the t-test of the results from the Soclality Rating Scales post-test showed a significant difference between the two groups (t=2.529, p<.05), The ANCOVA with the pre-test as a covariate showed asignificant difference between the experiment group and the controlled group; the post-test results for the experiment group were higher than those for the controlled group (F(1,12)=2491,52, p<.001). Therefore, the theraplay program was found to promote children's sociality.
According to the main therapist and co-therapists's Investigation of the children's behavior, the children refused the care and physical contact at first. However, the children accepted them gradually and naturally, Furthermore, as the children accepted the care, they gradually cared and eye-contacted one another without feeling uneasy.
According to the Children's Behavior Change Observation through surveying the recorded video tapes, the aggressive actions decreased. And the acceptance of regulations continuously increased. The co-operations with the similar age increased, and passive actions decreased. The negative side diminished in the self-assertion, and the positive self-assertion increased.
In conclusion, the theraplay program proposed in this study turned out to be effective in promoting the children's self-esteem and sociality.