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Abstract:
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There has been a growing amount of research on play therapy skills
training both with parents and teachers . These studies revealed promising results
on the effectiveness of play therapy skills training ; however , a majority of the
studies were quantitative in nature . The current study implemented a qualitative
approach to exploring teachers’ beliefs about children’s play and play therapy by
investigating the perceptions and experiences of a group of teacher participants
who received play therapy skills training . Individual interviews were conducted
and data analysis generated category themes to answer research questions .
Findings suggested that the play therapy skills training had an impact on
teachers , the child of focus , and the teacher -child relationships . The training led
to changes in teacher participants’ perceptions of play , play therapy , and
children , and a pattern seemed to emerge in the influence the training had on
teachers . Teachers perceived changes in themselves in terms of awareness ,
attitudes , skills , and emotions . Teachers’ views of play appeared to be changed
and shaped to be more consistent with the ideas of play therapy . Two of the four
teachers reported observing positive changes in behaviors of the child of focus . Three of the teacher participants indicated changes in teacher -child relationships
with the child of focus . Teachers seemed to generalize play therapy skills from
the playroom to the classroom . Teachers perceived that using play therapy skills
helped them build better relationships with children , interact with children more
positively , manage the class more effectively , and ultimately reduce their stress
and frustration . Overall , the play therapy skills training suggested positive results
with teacher participants , the child of focus , and teacher -child relationships .
However , there were also challenges , disadvantages , and constraints observed
and perceived by the teachers . Challenging issues in applying play therapy skills
in the classroom included the perceived difficulty of being both a teacher and a
therapeutic agent to the child of focus , and finding an appropriate classroom
balance between permissiveness and structure . Three of the four teacher
participants expressed their desire and excitement to continue applying play
therapy skills with other students in a new school year . Implications and
limitations of the study , and recommendations for further research are discussed . |