The effectiveness of play therapy with the Adlerian approach on self-efficacy in mentally retarded children aged ۶-۱۲ years

Aim and Background: Adlerian play therapy is a type of therapy in which children express their problems and issues on an imaginary and visual level through dolls, figurines, and other tools. Play therapy helps children with intellectual disabilities learn adaptive behaviors and increase their ability to interact with their family and social environment. The present study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of Adlerian play therapy on the self-efficacy of children with intellectual disabilities.Methods and Materials: The present study was a quasi-experimental study in which thirty mentally retarded children aged ۴-۱۲ years referred to Navid Rehabilitation Center in Khorramabad participated in two intervention and control groups using convenience sampling. Participants in the intervention group underwent Adlerian play therapy. The data collection tool was the demographic characteristics questionnaire and the Wheeler and Lorr Children's Self-Efficacy Questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods using SPSS version ۲۴ software. The significance level was considered to be ۰.۰۵.Findings: The mean and standard deviation of self-efficacy before intervention in the Adlerian play therapy intervention group was ۵۵.۶±۸.۰۷ and in the control group was ۴۹.۶±۸.۵. There was a statistically significant difference in the intervention group before and after the Adlerian play therapy intervention (P<۰.۰۵), but this difference was not significant in the control group (P>۰.۰۵).Conclusions: The results of the present study showed that Adlerian play therapy leads to increased self-efficacy in children with intellectual disabilities aged ۴-۱۲ years. It is recommended that this play therapy style be taught by rehabilitation professionals and used for children with intellectual disabilities.

کلیدواژه ها:

Play therapy ، Adlerian play therapy ، self-efficacy ، mentally retarded children.