The Effectiveness of Child-Centered Play Therapy on Behavioral and Emotional Problems of Children with Anxiety Caused by Corona: A Case Study in Fouladshahr-Isfahan

Abstract

Background: The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused stress and anxiety for various parts of society all over the world. This concern and stress are not limited to being affected by COVID-19 because this condition has also caused changes in people’s lifestyles.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of child-centered play therapy on behavioral and emotional problems of children suffering from anxiety caused by Corona in Fuladshahr.

Methods: The method of this study was a single-case experimental design with multiple asynchronous baseline was used. According to the clinical criteria and the diagnosis of the child and adolescent psychologist, 6 children were selected and included in the research by purposeful sampling. Data collection tools included expert interviews and Achenbach questionnaires, which were used in three phases: pre-treatment, intervention, and follow-up. The data were analyzed with the descriptive and inferential statistics and the methods of recovery percentage and visual drawing.

Results: The percentages of improvement in emotional-behavioral problems for the first to sixth subjects were 54%, 57%, 52%, 54%, 37%, and 48% respectively, which indicates the effectiveness of the treatment in the first, second, third, and Fourth subjects. The percentages of recovery in externalized problems were 35%, 64%, 30%, 56%, 44%, and 45% for the first to sixth subjects, respectively; it indicates the therapeutic effectiveness in the second and fourth subjects. The percentages of recovery in internalized problems were 72%, 66%, 60%, 50%, 27%, and 63% for the first to sixth patients, respectively, which indicates the effectiveness of the treatment in the first, second, third, fourth, and sixth subjects and relative effectiveness in the fifth patient.

conclusions: The analysis of the data of this research showed that child-centered play therapy is effective in reducing behavioral-emotional problems of children with anxiety caused by Corona.

Keywords: Anxiety, Behavioral-Emotional Problems, Child-Centered Play Therapy, Corona

DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/117-04

Publication date: September 30th 2024