THE IMPACT OF CHILD-CENTERED GROUP PLAY THERAPY ON SOCIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT OF KINDERGARTEN CHILDREN

1 online resource (105 pages) : PDF

2012

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

The development of social adjustment during elementary school is of critical importance because early socialization skills are an important predictor of both future social and emotional functioning. However, an examination of current literature reveals there is limited research utilizing sound research methodology and evaluation protocols for social skills interventions in the play therapy research, specifically as it relates to school counseling interventions. This study sought to determine the impact of child-centered group play therapy on social skills for kindergarten children utilizing an accelerated model of child-centered group play therapy and by utilizing the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS: Gresham & Elliott, 1990) which has not been typically used in play therapy research. The SSRS was administered to both parents and teachers of the research participants and then the children were randomly assigned to either the experimental (n = 26) and control groups (n = 23). The children in the experimental group were paired into classroom-centric groups of two and received ten sessions of child-centered group play therapy twice a week over a course of five weeks. Upon completion of the ten sessions, the SSRS was re-administered to the teachers and parents. The study used an ANCOVA design to test the significance of the group differences.. Analysis of results showed that neither the teacher nor parent ratings of the SSRS identified significant improvement on either the total social skills score or the associated subscales. Thus, the study found no evidence that child-centered group play therapy significantly impacts social skills development. The study highlighted the need for effective interventions and assessment totals for social skills interventions that will benefit all children and not just those children determined to have social skills deficits. Several recommendations are made based on limitations and lessons learned from this study.

doctoral dissertations

Educational counseling
Mental health

Ph.D.

Child-Centered Group
Group Therapy
Play Therapy
Social Skills
Social Skills Interventions

Counseling

Post, Phyllis

Harris, Henry
Abrams, Lyndon
Flowers, Claudia
Lamorey, Suzanne

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2012.

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Kascsak_uncc_0694D_10299

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13093/etd:1525