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Sandplay Therapy: an overview of theory, applications and evidence base
Abstract
Sandplay Therapy (SPT) is a psychotherapy method utilized worldwide, not only in Western countries, but also in Asia and Latin America with an extensive increase in growth over the past 15 years. The nonverbal approach of SPT is especially applicable in working with children, and with adults with trauma, distress, disabilities, and migration issues. This study provides an overview of the theory and practice of SPT in individual and group settings, its application to different groups of clients and mental health problems, and the state of evidence. A systematic search found 16 RCTs and 17 effectiveness studies, which found significant improvements with moderate effect sizes for a variety of child and adult mental health problems. Although further research is warranted, the current state of evidence highlights a range of potential benefits of SPT in clinical practice. SPT seems to have a potential for the treatment of clients with traumatic stress, disabilities or language problems, which are difficult to treat with conventional psychotherapy methods.
... The psyche's capacity for self-regulation and increased well-being through expressive creativity is proclaimed (Pearson & Wilson, 2019, pp. 20-24;Punnett & Canfield, 2020;Roesler, 2019;Weinrib, 2004;Yahaya, Maakip, Peter, Kwan SamMee, & Kifli, 2019;Zoja, 2018). Creative activity and play is essential for inner processing, personal development and healing (Humphris, 2019;Mitchell & Friedman, 2021). ...
... Experiencing the symbol in a safe and protected space is most important while language is not a barrier as non-verbal expression creates direct access to the unconscious (Ferreira et al., 2014;Kalff, 1996Kalff, , 2019. Several meta-analyses report the effectiveness of SP in therapeutic settings; however, there is a dearth of research on early adolescence and group SP interventions particularly in community-based settings in the South African context (Koh & Ha, 2022;Roesler, 2019;Wiersma et al., 2022). ...
... The data generated from sand images, in-depth interviews, researcher experiences and reflections resonates and are supported by both Sandplay and Jungian authors (Kalff, 1983;S. Lee et al., 2023;Mitchell & Friedman, 2021;Olaniyi et al., 2021;Redfern & Finestone, 2023;Roesler, 2019;Ryce-Menuhin, 2015;Turner, 2005;Weinrib, 2004;Zoja, 2018). ...
Background: This paper describes the effect of silent group Sandplay (SP) with early adolescents as observed and reported in circumstances of deprivation, neglect and abuse. Objective: The objective was to explore with childcare staff, group SP as an intervention with early adolescent participants. Participants and setting: Nine childcare staff participated in an in-depth SP exploration involving a series of six group SP sessions with five children at a child protection organisation in a resource-constrained context. Methods: Group SP offered in a particular way in a protective child and youth care environment facilitated an opportunity for inner processing and self-discovery. In-depth semi-structured interviews with childcare staff conducted both before and after group SP provided descriptions of the SP experience for both children and adult participants. Results: The before-SP reports of the children's behaviour and demeanour highlighted wounding and after-SP observations indicated healing patterns. The before-SP topics included overwhelmedness, vulnerability, constrained resources, the need for change and culturally appropriate, accessible interventions. Themed descriptions after SP included a newfound desire to play and activation of healing for both child and adult participants. Healing processes indicated a desire to play, cooperation, openness, increased awareness, adaptation, grounding and belonging. The implications are potentially far-reaching in terms of the accessibility, efficiency and cultural suitability of providing group SP in child protection and community-based settings, particularly in contexts of deprivation, neglect and abuse.
... The therapy involves significant work at the unconscious level, with therapists ensuring a safe and protected environment. According to Kalff, this 'free and protected space' is essential for SPT, serving as a container for the nonverbal and symbolic expression of the client's inner experiences during play, which includes the therapeutic relationship (Roesler 2019). SPT's unique advantages include its symbolic, non-verbal nature and its appeal to children. ...
... As a non-verbal technique, SPT may offer the most effective treatment strategy, minimizing the risk of retraumatization. There is substantial evidence supporting SPT's ability to provide an accurate representation of a client's inner world and to identify elements of the client's psychopathology (Roesler 2019). ...
... The SPT process involves a series of sessions during which the client addresses psychological issues by creating a sequence of images. Often, certain elements and symbols recur in these images repeatedly, though their arrangement may evolve throughout the course of therapy (Roesler 2019). ...
... El/la terapeuta debe mantener en todo el proceso una actitud abierta y no directiva, y no debe emitir juicios o interpretaciones sobre lo que la persona crea (Roesler, 2019). Mediante la escucha y devolución empática, debe crearse un espacio libre y protegido (Kalff, 2003), en el que el/la niño/a se sienta con seguridad de expresar lo que quiera y necesite. ...
... De hecho, existe una ersión de la técnica elaborada por Pattis (2011) que se aplica en un contexto grupal y tiene una duración de 12 sesiones, en las que cada participante crea su propia caja de arena. Esta versión de la técnica se ha utilizado en el tratamiento con poblaciones vulnerables; por ejemplo, con niños/as víctimas de traumatización colectiva (Roesler, 2019). ST también se ha aplicado en formato grupal a supervivientes de un terremoto en Nepal (Hwang y Kim, 2017), así como a víctimas de un tsunami (Lacroix et al., 2007) y a personas que han pasado por un proceso de migración (Jang y Kim, 2012). ...
... Trabajar este contenido inconsciente mediante un relato puede herir nuevamente e incluso retraumatizar a la persona (Marrodán, 2013). Por ello, ST es una técnica especialmente útil, ya que permite al/a la paciente expresar su mundo interior mediante símbolos, sin necesidad de utilizar la palabra (Roesler, 2019). De esta manera, se evita que ocurra una retraumatización. ...
Experimentar un acontecimiento traumático durante una etapa de desarrollo como la infancia y la adolescencia se relaciona con un mayor riesgo de problemas de salud física y mental durante el resto de la vida. Dada la alta prevalencia de experiencias traumáticas en la infancia, es necesario contar con técnicas como la caja de arena, que permitan trabajar el trauma de una manera adaptada a estos/as niños/as. El objetivo de esta revisión es recopilar la evidencia existente sobre la eficacia de Sandplay Therapy (ST) en el tratamiento del trauma con niños/as y adolescentes. Los resultados muestran un efecto significativo de ST en síntomas post- traumáticos, internalizantes y externalizantes, así como en la adherencia de adolescentes a la terapia y en el bienestar de menores que han sufrido traumatización colectiva (desastres naturales, atentados etc.). Aunque los estudios de esta revisión muestran evidencia esperanzadora, hay una carencia de estudios y es necesario someter la ST a más investigaciones, con diferentes poblaciones y contextos. De esta manera, se confirmará el beneficio que esta herramienta puede aportar al tratamiento del trauma infantil, en el campo de la psicología clínica y en el de los servicios de protección a la infancia.
... Throughout the entire process, the therapist must maintain an open and non-directive attitude, therefore refraining from making judgments or interpretations about what the person creates (Roesler, 2019). Through listening and empathetic feedback, a free and protected space must be created (Kalff, 2003) where the child feels safe to express what they want and need. ...
... In fact, a version of the technique developed by Pattis (2011) is applied in a group context and consists of 12 sessions, during which each participant creates their own sand tray. This version of the technique has been used in the treatment of vulnerable populations, such as children who are victims of collective trauma (Roesler, 2019). ST has also been applied in a group format to survivors of an earthquake in Nepal (Hwang & Kim, 2017), victims of a tsunami (Lacroix et al., 2007), and individuals who have gone through a migration process (Jang & Kim, 2012). ...
... Working with this unconscious content through narration can retraumatize the person (Marrodán, 2013). Therefore, ST is an especially useful technique because it allows the patient to express their inner world through symbols without the need for words, preventing re-traumatization (Roesler, 2019). Moreover, ST enables children who have suffered trauma to develop a sense of control, something they did not have during the traumatic event (Marrodán, 2013). ...
Experiencing a traumatic event during a developmental stage, such as childhood and adolescence, is related to an increased risk of physical and mental health problems during the rest of life. Given the high prevalence of traumatic experiences in childhood, there is a need for techniques such as Sandplay, which allows working with trauma in a way that is adapted to these children. The objective of this review is to compile the existing evidence on the efficacy of Sandplay Therapy (ST) in the treatment of trauma in children and adolescents. The results show a significant effect of ST on post-traumatic, internalizing, and externalizing symptoms, as well as on adolescents' adherence to therapy and on the well-being of children who have suffered collective traumatization (natural disasters, bombings, etc.). Although the studies in this review show encouraging evidence, there is a lack of studies, and it is necessary to subject Sandplay Therapy to more research with different populations and contexts. This way, the benefit that this tool can bring to the treatment of childhood trauma in the field of clinical psychology and child protection services will be confirmed.
... One of the earliest measures developed and is used frequently among sandplay therapists is the 20-point scale of themes from most wounded to most healed (Mitchell & Friedman, 1994). Since then, other measures have been created, although not many have been tested for construct validity or concurrent validity (Roesler, 2019). ...
... Five of the 17 RCTs were with adults for clinical outcomes that were not psychosis (Foo et al., 2017;Jang & Kim, 2012, Kim, 2014Lee & Kowen, 2016;Wang & Zhang, 2014). Many of the statistically significant clinical outcomes in the study had similarities, like building social skills in people suffering with social anxiety or increasing self-expression and self-esteem for college students (Roesler, 2019). ...
... She writes down the miniatures used, their placement, and comments that Selena made about their interpretation. She assigns a baseline score based on wounding and healing themes, using a standardised method of categorisation for sandplay pictures such as the Sandplay Category Checklist (SCC) (Roesler, 2019). ...
Sandplay therapy (SPT) is a promising approach to the treatment of negative psychosis symptoms, due to the psychodynamic lens it brings to both the underlying trauma and the attachment insecurity commonly associated with psychotic episodes. Additionally, SPT and other psychodynamic interventions offer a strengths-based alternative to a cognitive approach to the treatment of psychosis symptoms. Given the evidence that increasing social cognition, attachment security, and engagement with the imagination may all be associated with decreasing negative symptoms of psychosis, it is surprising that SPT, an expressive play therapy with Jungian origins, has not been tested for treatment of psychosis, even for negative symptoms, in any randomised clinical trials. Psychodynamic and cognitive perspectives on psychosis treatment are reviewed, exploring their different assumptions, and implications for direct social work practice as illustrated by a case example, are discussed.
... Through the symbolic expressions, the patient can explore and become aware of their psychological problems and unconscious conflicts, and the client's self is expressed and reconstructed to restore a sense of wholeness, leading to the experience of recovery from their psychological problems and promoting the growth of self. [26,27] Further, in SPT, Kalff emphasized the need for an experience of attachment through positive transference, as the client experiences a type of "mother and son unity" from the interaction with the therapist in the sessions. [28] The nonverbal approach of SPT is possible due to the use of symbols and figures as primary therapeutic tools, allowing SPT to provide noninvasive therapeutic benefits to children who have difficulty expressing themselves verbally or to patients facing similar difficulties owing to severe psychological conflict. ...
... [28] The nonverbal approach of SPT is possible due to the use of symbols and figures as primary therapeutic tools, allowing SPT to provide noninvasive therapeutic benefits to children who have difficulty expressing themselves verbally or to patients facing similar difficulties owing to severe psychological conflict. [27] SPT has been used for the treatment of various psychological concerns including internalizing emotional problems, such as depression and anxiety, and externalizing behavioral problems, such as aggression, impulsivity, and ADHD in children. [27] It has been reported as an effective treatment modality to reduce psychological problems such as depression and anxiety in adults as well as children. ...
... [27] SPT has been used for the treatment of various psychological concerns including internalizing emotional problems, such as depression and anxiety, and externalizing behavioral problems, such as aggression, impulsivity, and ADHD in children. [27] It has been reported as an effective treatment modality to reduce psychological problems such as depression and anxiety in adults as well as children. [29][30][31] Further, earlier studies have reported that SPT is effective in treating psychological trauma, low self-esteem, and addictive problems among adolescents. ...
Prior research has established adolescent vulnerability to delinquent behavior. This single-arm, noninterventional, observational study investigated the effect of sand play therapy on the psychopathologies of adolescents with delinquent behavior. A total of 68 adolescents participated in the study. Participants were treated with 8 weekly sessions of sand play therapy, lasting 50 minutes each and conducted in groups of 3 to 4 members. The psychopathologies of depression, anxiety, self-esteem, impulsiveness, characteristics of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and impulsiveness were measured using self-reporting scales. Following therapy, depression ( t = 3.28; P = .002; ES = 0.399) and anxiety ( t = 4.00; P < .001; ES = 0.485) decreased significantly with moderate effect size. ADHD characteristics ( t = 2.73; P = .008) and impulsiveness ( t = 2.73; P = .009) also decreased significantly with effect size of 0.330 and 0.327, respectively. Self-esteem ( t = −2.06, P = .043; ES = 0.251) was found to have significantly increased. The high-risk group within each psychopathology showed significantly higher improvement than the low-risk group. Results showed that group sand play therapy is effective in improving internalizing problems such as depression and anxiety, as well as externalizing problems of ADHD features and impulsiveness among adolescents with deviant behaviors.
... Added to this is a long-standing interest in identity development and the life stage of early adolescence. It is proposed that further exploration of SP in the South African context is required given its worldwide effectiveness as a multi-sensory expressive technique that does not require verbal communication and which lends itself to widespread usability (Roesler, 2019). ...
... The psyche's capacity to regulate itself through expressive creativity is well-reported as well as its effectiveness in increasing well-being (Pearson & Wilson, 2019;Punnett & Canfield, 2020;Roesler, 2019;Weinrib, 2004;Yahaya et al., 2018;Zoja, 2018). ...
... SP as a creative, expressive activity is proposed to support early adolescence and, as such, facilitates the development of inner resources, thereby protecting against problematic learning and behavioural issues. Studies have found that a 10-12 week SP process of non-verbal, creative expression is sufficient to provide a bridge for selfregulation (Roesler, 2019). ...
The focus of this study was an in-depth exploration of early adolescent Sandplay (SP) in a resource-poor environment. The participants aged 9–14 were selected for their age from a children’s home environment. Silent, group SP was offered weekly for six consecutive weeks. SP was tendered in multiple layers of temenos. Of interest was the experience of SP during early adolescence. The qualitative exploration was considered from a Jungian perspective and conducted as a single case study. Research methods included researcher observation, the generation of six sand images of each of the five early adolescent participant’s SP process, interviews with childcare staff and researcher reflections. Initial sand images and childcare staff descriptions of the children highlighted themes of wounding. Initial sand images portray chaotic, overwhelming and threatening scenes, indicative of trauma and vulnerability and the need for containment. Final sand images display balanced, harmonious scenes that support healing. Varying encounters with the Self were depicted in centring actions and subsequent sand scenes included signs of integration and belonging. Indications of transpersonal encounters were characterised by numinous scenes and supported by childcarer descriptions of outstanding interactions with the children. Positive changes included activation and desire to play, increased cooperative and collaborative behaviour as well as a more open and calm demeanour, which reinforces the positive effect of silent group SP. The implications are potentially far-reaching in terms of the relative affordability, accessibility and suitability of this intervention that is not reliant on the verbal skills of the participant or the therapist.
Keywords: Early adolescence, resource-poor environment, silent group Sandplay intervention, temenos, Jungian perspective
... The therapist notes each scene and takes images. He then evaluates them and evaluates the client's sand tray in a quiet environment (Roesler, 2019;Teber, 2015). ...
... Sandplay therapy studies carried out so far have been carried out in closed rooms in relevant places (Adley, 2016;Betman, 2004;Guo & Li, 2021;Roesler, 2019;Zhou, 2009). In this study, the feasibility of sandplay therapy in the education and rehabilitation gardens was revealed. ...
Sandplay therapy helps the person develop social skills and acts as a therapy
method where they can reflect and repair their inner world. This study aims to
test the feasibility of sandplay therapy method in an open area for children with
autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and investigate its effect on the development
of social skills. In addition, the reorganization of sandplay areas where children
with disabilities receive education and treatment, and the introduction of design
proposals for integrating them with sandplay therapy in the open area, have been
one of the other objectives of this study. The study group of this research, has a
quasi-experimental design in which pre-test and post-test measurements are made
on the experimental groups of children between the ages of 8 and 12 years with
autism diagnosed were formed. This research consisted of five stages: the planning
of the study, the implementation phase, the post-tests,
the analysis of the data and
the explanation of the design proposals. As a result of the studies conducted on
children with ASD, increasing their interaction with society contributed to the
development of children with autism socially and psychologically. In this context,
group sand therapy was applied to the experimental groups for 7 weeks, one session a week and a total of seven sessions of two children with autism were selected using the selective assignment method. The effect of open area sandplay therapy method on the development of autistic-disabled
people was compared with the values taken before and after the sandplay therapy sessions. The findings revealed that increasing interaction with society contributed to the development of children with ASD socially and psychologically. In addition, the development of suggestions for the design of barrier-free sandplay areas and the evaluation of the connection between sandplay therapy and design in the open area was made.
... Sandplay therapy functions as a pivotal tool for psychological projection, where individuals construct a scene to mirror their inner world while psychoanalysts scrutinize the individual's psychological state [1,2]. In this process, recognizing the theme (i.e., identifying the content and emotional tone) of a sandplay image is an important step in facilitating higher-level analysis. ...
... The visual stimulus is the main carrier of projection test, such as Rorschach inkblot image [13], house-tree-person painting and sandplay image [1]. The image carrier of inkblot test is only 10 inkblot pictures, and the painting image in house-tree-person test can only contain 3 elements (i.e., house, tree, person). ...
Sandplay therapy functions as a pivotal tool for psychological projection, where testers construct a scene to mirror their inner world while psychoanalysts scrutinize the testers’ psychological state. In this process, recognizing the theme (i.e., identifying the content and emotional tone) of a sandplay image is a vital step in facilitating higher-level analysis. Unlike traditional visual recognition that focuses solely on the basic information (e.g., category, location, shape, etc.), sandplay theme recognition needs to consider the overall content of the image, then relies on a hierarchical knowledge structure to complete the reasoning process. Nevertheless, the research of sandplay theme recognition is hindered by following challenges: (1) Gathering high-quality and enough sandplay images paired with expert analyses to form a scientific dataset is challenging, due to this task relies on a specialized sandplay environment. (2) Theme is a comprehensive and high-level information, making it difficult to adopt existing works directly in this task. In summary, we have tackled the above challenges from the following aspects: (1) Based on carefully analysis of the challenges (e.g., small-scale dataset and complex information), we present the HIST (HIerarchical Sandplay Theme recognition) model that incorporates external knowledge to emulate the psychoanalysts’ reasoning process. (2) Taking the split theme (a representative and evenly distributed theme) as an example, we proposed a high-quality dataset called (SandPlay SPlit) to evaluate our proposed method. Experimental results demonstrate the superior performance of our algorithm compared to other baselines, and ablation experiments confirm the importance of incorporating external knowledge. We anticipate this work will contribute to the research in sandplay theme recognition. The relevant datasets and codes will be released continuously.
... Sandplay therapy functions as a pivotal tool for psychological projection, where individuals construct a scene to mirror their inner world while psychoanalysts scrutinize the individual's psychological state [1,2]. In this process, recognizing the theme (i.e., identifying the content and emotional tone) of a sandplay image is an important step in facilitating higher-level analysis. ...
... The visual stimulus is the main carrier of projection test, such as Rorschach inkblot image [13], house-tree-person painting and sandplay image [1]. The image carrier of inkblot test is only 10 inkblot pictures, and the painting image in house-tree-person test can only contain 3 elements (i.e., house, tree, person). ...
Sandplay therapy functions as a pivotal tool for psychological projection, where testers construct a scene to mirror their inner world while psychoanalysts scrutinize the testers' psychological state. In this process, recognizing the theme (i.e., identifying the content and emotional tone) of a sandplay image is a vital step in facilitating higher-level analysis. Unlike traditional visual recognition that focuses solely on the basic information (e.g., category, location, shape, etc.), sandplay theme recognition needs to consider the overall content of the image, then relies on a hierarchical knowledge structure to complete the reasoning process. Nevertheless, the research of sandplay theme recognition is hindered by following challenges: (1) Gathering high-quality and enough sandplay images paired with expert analyses to form a scientific dataset is challenging , due to this task relies on a specialized sandplay environment. (2) Theme is a comprehensive and high-level information, making it difficult to adopt existing works directly in this task. In summary, we have tackled the above challenges from the following aspects: (1) Based on carefully analysis of the challenges (e.g., small-scale dataset and complex information) , we present the HIST (HIerarchical Sandplay Theme recognition) model that incorporates external knowledge to emulate the psychoana-lysts' reasoning process. (2) Taking the split theme (a representative and evenly distributed theme) as an example, we proposed a high-quality dataset called SP 2 (SandPlay SPlit) to evaluate our proposed method. Experimental results demonstrate the superior performance of our algorithm compared to other baselines, and ablation experiments confirm the importance of incorporating external knowledge. We anticipate this work will contribute to the research in sandplay theme recognition. The relevant datasets and codes will be released continuously.
... The forefather of this method is Lowenfeld (1920), but Kalff (2003) promoted this technique and introduced it as SPT. In this method, a tray filled with sand and a wide variety of play figures is offered to the child to create a picture of their inner world [14]. ...
... Some of the studies showed the process of sand play therapy impacts children's emotional management and their opportunity to create their world in an individual sandbox [15,16]. SPT is frequently applied to improve a child's mental health, and it is used to externalize their aggressive behavior [14], attention deficit hyperactivity problems [17], and emotional and attachment problems in connection with family problems such as separation from parents [18]. ...
Background and Aim: Sand Play Therapy (SPT) is a psychotherapy and nonverbal method used for people with trauma, disabilities, and distress. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of SPT on aggression and emotional adjustment of children with a hearing impairment aged 5–7 years.
Methods: In this quasi-experiment study with a pretest-posttest design and a control group, 30 children aged 5–7 years with hearing impairment participated. They were randomly assigned into two groups: control and experimental. The research instruments were Sinha and Singh adjustment questionnaire and the Shahim aggression questionnaire. The obtained data were analyzed using multivariate covariance analysis.
Results: There were statistically significant differences (score decrease) between the two study groups after the SPT in terms of aggression (p
... In this way, since playing with sand is compatible with children's verbal and cognitive developmental capacities and is considered a pleasant experience for children, it can effectively provide the possibility of examining and diagnosing children's issues and problems, thus creating a safe and accepting communication framework for the use of sand and symbolic figures. It helps to project and recreate the child's issues (Roesler, 2019). Sand play therapy is a therapeutic approach that has been used for a wide range of children's problems, for example, the effectiveness of sand play therapy on reducing behavioral and cognitive symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (Zeinali & Rezazadeh, 2020), increasing social skills and reducing negative emotions in children with Down syndrome (Rezaee & Rasouli, 2020), reducing the challenging behaviors and anxiety of children with autism disorder (Sharif Daramadi et al., 2019), increasing the cognitive development of educable mentally disabled children (Malekpour & Nesai moghadam, 2014) and reducing the psychological problems of children with autism (Wang et al., 2019), therefore, a review of the background of the research showed that the effectiveness of the intervention of sand play therapy on the problems of children with disabilities has been confirmed, and there is a research gap in the field of the effectiveness of the said intervention on the social skills of children with autism. ...
... Actually, sand play therapy as a psychotherapeutic technique enables clients to use small models in a sand tray to create their inner world that is compatible with different aspects of their social reality. This method is a very valuable creative process because fear and tensions are imagined in it and realistic feelings and positive changes are formed (Roesler, 2019). ...
... The completed meta-analysis of these data confirmed the effectiveness of using SPT in the treatment of patients of various ages who sought help due to various mental health problems [14]. Previously, similar successes were reported in the use of sand therapy in relation to phobic spectrum disorders [15] and in relation to work with traumatic stress of migrants with disabilities in that category of patients for long-term psychotherapy, who also have language problems in communicating with therapists [11]. ...
... The number of studies on the effectiveness of VKM, using not only conventional tests, but also employing modern instrumental methods for objective monitoring of the psycho-physiological state of clients, has been gradually increasing [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]. Thus, applying proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, a positive change in the metabolic processes in the brain was shown in patients suffering from Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD -Generalized Anxiety Disorder) after they had completed the Sandplay Therapy (SPT) course [4]. ...
The article presents an experimental confirmation of the validity of the hypothesis that there are optimal combinations of such VKM varieties as GSM, KS and MAC. The results of the performed cardiometric measurements and the variants of subjective self-reports made by the examinees are described herein, which have shown that such optimal combinations include tasks, where and when the clients, acting as patients, first work with kinetic sand and only thereupon use metaphorical associative cards, followed by game sand modeling. In addition, the data obtained have demonstrated that the least comfortable work sequences include options that first use the techniques of game sand modeling, and then as those the varieties of VKM as KS and MAC. In addition, it has been found that the cardiometric support of visual kinetic modeling significantly increases the confidence therein by all its participants. It has been shown that the cardiometric support also successfully serves as an element of bio-feedback and contributes to a meaningful, substantive, dialogue between the client and the psychotherapist, aimed at increasing the level of awareness of what is happening and raising the effectiveness of the therapeutic process.
... Several researchers have studied sand therapy (ST) as an intervention for children with various behavioral concerns (Holliman & Foster, 2023;Lee et al., 2018;Roesler, 2019). Holliman and Foster (2023) conducted a meta-analysis of thirty-six studies that included sandtray and sandplay, yielding a large effect size of Hedges' g of 1.165. ...
This study explored the use of Brainspotting (BSP) in combination with Sand Therapy (ST) for use with 8–to 9-year-old children with anxiety symptoms in a school-based setting. Using the Spence Children's Anxiety Scales (SCAS), The Behavior and Feelings Survey (BFS), and the Top Problems Assessment (TPA), the research project measured anxiety as reported by parents/caregivers and students, internalizing, externalizing, and total concerns as reported by parents/caregivers, teachers, and students, and finally individually identified unique concerns as reported by parents/caregivers, teachers, and students. The researcher collected data from student participants (11) who experienced six sessions of BSP and ST. The quantitative data collected identified project signifiers for future researchers. Outcomes reflected statistical significance of a reduction in anxiety scores for parents in the subscale of generalized anxiety and a significant reduction of scores in children in the subscales of generalized anxiety and separation anxiety. Parents and teachers indicated significantly lower scores in internalizing and total concerns identified across time intervals. All three groups of reporters indicated a significant reduction of top problems identified across time intervals. Outcomes demonstrate the promise of the integrated practice of BSP and ST while laying a framework for future research of this method.
... КРАТКИЙ ОБЗОР ИССЛЕДОВАНИЙ Одна из наиболее известных и широко используемых во всем мире уже целое столетие разновидностей визуального кинетического моделирования -это сэндплей терапия [1,3,6,10,[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]. Создававшаяся усилиями таких новаторов, как Маргарет Ловенфельд, Дора Калф, Шарлотта Бюлер, сэнплей терапия изначально была ориентирована на предоставление ребенку возможности в ходе игры приобрести ценный для его дальнейшей жизни опыт, выразив и закрепив его как в вербальной, так и в невербальной форме. ...
В статье изложены особенности использования различных форм визуального кинетического моделирования как группы дидактических средств, применение которых в обучении и консультировании основано на естественной склонности человека к игре независимо от его возраста и благодаря которым удается придать усваиваемому знанию более высокий уровень разумности за счет углубленного понимания человеком своих приоритетов и логики их учета при практическом использовании изученного материала, а также обеспечить прочное усвоение новых полезных и более эффективных схем ориентировки за счет органичного соединения рациональных и эмоциональных составляющих приобретаемого опыта при сохранении учащимся всех качеств зрелого субъекта.
The article describes the features of the use of various forms of visual kinetic modeling as a group of didactic tools, the use of which in teaching and counseling is based on a person’s natural inclination to play, regardless of his age, and thanks to which it is possible to give the acquired knowledge a higher level of reasonableness due to in-depth human understanding their priorities and the logic of taking them into account in the practical use of the studied material, as well as to ensure a solid assimilation of new useful and more effective orientation schemes due to the organic combination of rational and emotional components of the experience gained while maintaining the student of all the qualities of a mature subject.
... SPT is an increasingly important psychotherapy method, especially with significant growth in popularity and application worldwide in the past few years. This therapy can be applied to improve the condition of children or adult GAD patients through nonverbal communication [13]. Jungian sandbox therapy has been proven to be highly effective in alleviating symptoms of GAD, improving the function of key areas of the brain associated with GAD, including the limbic system and prefrontal cortex. ...
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), which is commonly known as a mental health disorder. GAD has the characteristic of sustained and excessive anxieties, which seriously affects the daily lives of patients. The present study comprehensively evaluated the clinical characteristics, treatment methods, and efficacy of GAD. The research involves Pharmacotherapy (such as benzodiazepines and antidepressants), psychotherapy (such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT), and innovative therapies such as sandplay therapy (SPT). The results indicate that psychotherapy and drug therapy are still the first choices, and innovative therapies can be used to assist and improve treatment. Choosing a treatment method requires comprehensive consideration of multiple factors, including the individual condition of the patient and possible side effects. In this study, a systematic review of the typical features of GAD and its etiology was performed. In addition, the advantages of different therapies as well as typical representatives are discussed and analysed. The results of this study provide implications for related research and suggest future research directions.
... Lee et al. (2023) conducted group sand therapy with adolescents with delinquent behaviors and found it effective in improving depression and anxiety and for externalizing problems associated with ADHD. A systematic literature review (Roesler, 2019) revealed that sandplay therapy with individuals and groups found significant positive changes with a moderate effect size for numerous emotional issues. However, the use of group sandtray, specifically with adults, is even more limited and has been primarily conducted with graduate students in supervision. ...
This study explored the comparative effects of traditional talk therapy (control group) and sandtray therapy (experiential group) on group dynamics within a true experimental design. Utilizing the Group Climate Questionnaire-Short Form (GCQ-S), we measured engagement, conflict, and avoidance among master’s level counseling students. Findings revealed a significant interaction between therapy type and time on the engagement subscale, with participants in the experiential group experiencing greater increases in engagement over time. These results underscore the potential of expressive modalities in altering group dynamics and enhancing the effectiveness of group therapy in counselor education.
... Counselors listen actively and non-judgmentally to clients and promote secure attachment (Green, Myrick, & Crenshaw, 2013). In this way, sandplay therapy is effective for a wide range of psychological problems and disorders, including psychological trauma, beyond verbal communication and cognitive insight (Roesler, 2019;Freedle, 2007;Miyuki, 2017). ...
... Зроблено висновок про переваги методу в підтримці осіб із різноманітними порушеннями психічного здоров'я та фізичними обмеженнями, з якими важко працювати за допомогою традиційних технік психотерапії. Загалом Сендплей «знижує поріг для початку психотерапії», надаючи людям, які з різних причин мають бар'єри для вербальної презентації свого досвіду, безпечні, безпосередні та самодостатні засоби подолання труднощів (Roesler, 2019). ...
Анотація. Широка популярність різноманітних технік «гри з піском», їх активне впровадження в психологічну та педагогічну практику потребують належного обґрунтування ефективності методу. Мета статті – оглянути сучасний стан пісочної терапії у світі та окреслити можливості її використання, підтверджені науковими дослідженнями. Описано історію виникнення методу та його поширення світом; пояснено глибинні механізми саморегуляції психіки в процесі спонтанної дитячої гри. Визначено роль юнгіанського психоаналізу як теоретичного підґрунтя сендплей-терапії: символічна гра створює комунікацію між свідомим і несвідомим, що, своєю чергою, дає змогу змінити відносини Его-свідомості та Самості. Закладені в метод ідеї східної філософії (усвідомленої присутності, самопізнання та спонтанної творчості) сприяли його популярності у країнах Сходу, де сформувалися найпотужніші практичні школи сендплей. Оглянуто сучасний стан сендлей-терапії: описано численні відгалуження від класичного калфіфського підходу, її поєднання з іншими відомими психологічними методами. Активне впровадження сендплей у практику шкільного консультування супроводжується розробленням групових форм роботи. Обґрунтовано вживання дефініцій «пісочна терапія» та «Сендплей» у контексті наявних методологічних традицій. Детально проаналізовано досвід застосування сендплей-терапії стосовно дітей і підлітків, докази її ефективності. Накопичені експериментальні результати засвідчують позитивний вплив на соматично хворих пацієнтів у різноманітних проблемних і здорових вибірках: поліпшення емоційного стану, корекція тривожної та депресивної симптоматики, поведінкових порушень, поліпшення соціальної взаємодії, подолання проблем адаптації, розвиток самоідентифікації тощо. Особливо корисний цей метод у групах дітей, яким важко спілкуватися за допомогою вербальних засобів. Зрблено висновок щодо доцільності та обґрунтованості використання пісочної терапії у груповій та індивідуальній роботі.
... Although different approaches exist, evidence supports the effectiveness of both sandplay and sandtray therapy with multiple populations and mental health issues (Holliman & Foster, 2023;Lee et al., 2018;Lyles & Homeyer, 2015;Roesler, 2019;Sulong et al., 2020;Wiersma et al., 2022). More research exists to support using sandplay therapy compared to sandtray approaches (Holliman & Foster, 2023). ...
Adults exposed to trauma report symptoms that harm their emotional
and behavioral health affecting their functioning for a prolonged period. Creative interventions have been suggested as a unique expressive approach to assist adults with trauma symptoms. Sandtray
therapy is one such technique; however, there is limited literature
showcasing the effectiveness of the technique when working with
adults with trauma symptoms. In this article, we assess the effectiveness of sandtray therapy on trauma symptoms for five adults with
trauma exposures, using an A-B-A single-case research design.
Participants completed seven to nine, 50-minute sandtray therapy
sessions throughout the study. Results showed a decrease in trauma
symptoms for four of the five participants. Thus, sandtray therapy
could be an effective intervention for counselors to use with adults
with trauma symptoms.
... In 1931 (Kalff, 1980(Kalff, /2003. Sand play therapy (SPT) has been introduced to many countries around the world for more than 90 years and has been applied to mental health problems of adults as well as children in various environments such as schools and hospitals (Roesler, 2019;Ahn et al., 2021;Lee & Jang, 2015;Wiersma et al., 2022, Zhou et al., 2009Enns et al., 2003). ...
... (3) The sand tools of the initial sandplay are all related to war or evil, but in the end, the tools of the sandplay are full of vitality and energy, indicating that the original energy of the heart has been aroused [18] . It was found that the case gradually carried out self-healing, energy accumulation, and finally reached selflocalization from the behavior of the case before and after the intervention, combined with interviews with parents, and pre-and post-test analysis of SDQ [19] . ...
With the aim to explore the therapeutic effect of sandplay therapy on children with emotional and behavioral problems, in this study, a primary school student with emotional and behavioral problems was selected as the research object undergoing 12 times sandplay intervention, combining the methods of observation, interview, and questionnaire. It turns out that: (1) The traumatic theme indicates an overall downward trend in the process of intervention, while the cure theme indicates an overall upward trend. (2) The results of “strengths and difficulties questionnaire” were found to be consistent with the results of descriptive evaluation before and after sandplay intervention. (3) Based on the interview, sandplay, and questionnaire analysis, it is found that sandplay therapy shows a better therapeutic effect on children with emotional and behavioral problems.
... Restrukturisasi kognitif dilakukan dengan media permainan, sehingga memudahkan Leo untuk merasa nyaman dan terbuka dengan aktivitas exposure terhadap stresor. Sandplay, salah satu media permainan yang dipakai, memungkinkan Leo untuk dapat mengekspresikan perasaan serta mengungkapkan pikirannya secara bebas (Roesler, 2019). ...
School refusal merupakan masalah psikososial yang dapat ditemui pada anak usia sekolah. Masalah ini merupakan manifestasi dari rasa cemas dan upaya penghindaran dari situasi atau peristiwa yang menimbulkan stres. Perlu adanya upaya untuk menangani permasalahan ini sehingga tidak menjadi faktor risiko gangguan mental di masa dewasa. Sebuah studi kasus tunggal dilakukan untuk menguji efektivitas terapi bermain kognitif-perilaku berbasis permainan untuk meningkatkan keterampilan koping anak dengan school refusal. Asesmen dilakukan dengan metode wawancara, observasi, dan tes psikologi. Terdapat delapan sesi terapi yang diberikan kepada anak dan orangtua. Hasilnya menunjukkan perubahan pada sikap dan perilaku partisipan anak dalam menghadapi stresor sekolah. Selain keterampilan relaksasi, partisipan mampu beraktivitas kembali di sekolah dan mau berinteraksi dengan temannya. Penting untuk memberikan intervensi yang efektif untuk permasalahan ini guna menjamin kesejahteraan anak di masa depan
... Some clinical cases studies of SPT have been conducted with adult, teenage, and child trauma victims. These studies reveal that symbolization of the trauma allowed for psychic content to be integrated and for aggressive and destructive tendencies to be acknowledged; for converting the core of defensive structures into creative structures and gradually modifying and strengthening the ego (Freddle et al., 2015;Herrmann, 2011;Kalff, 2003;Roesler, 2019). Sandplay has been tested and proved its effectiveness in two recent studies. ...
Objective This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of Sandplay Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in the reduction of clinical/borderline symptoms in children and adolescents. Method The participants were 21 victims of domestic violence with clinical or borderline scores on the Child Behavior Checklist and Young Self Report. They were also tested with Wechsler Abbreviated Intelligence Scale (T0) and designed by random to treatment and control groups. They were tested with the same instruments at T1 (after 20 sessions/ 20 weeks) and T2 (after 6 months). Results For the children, there were no changes across the groups, but a significant improvement in internalizing behavior problems in the sandplay group and in externalizing and total behavior problems in the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy group. For the adolescents, there was a significant improvement in externalizing behavioral problems in the sandplay group and in the total behavior problems for the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy group. Conclusion The results of this research do not allow to conclude that one technique is better than another since we did not have a consistent significative difference across the groups. These results may be due to the different approaches of the techniques. While Sandplay Therapy provides a free and protected space to allow the participants to express their feelings through images and histories, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy follows a program that focuses more on promoting behavior adaption to outside world. The application of this research design with a large population and with more sessions will allow to observe the consistence of these findings, providing a more solid ground to choose which technique would be more efficient for each specific case.
... Theoretical perspectives and research suggests that sandplay therapists directly work with and through neurocognitive processes also involved in creative expression (Freedle, 2017;Roesler, 2019). Encouraging the development of "associative fluency" (Kuiken, et al., 2018, p. 59), exploring and combining material to discover novel, analytic solutions (Mednick, 1962), encourages creative cognition, and conjoins the tension on the opposites (Bradway & McCoard, 1997;Jung 1946Jung /1982 on the path of individuation. ...
This study was conducted in response to the creativity crisis and a call from the field to study and revive the awareness, value, and skill development of creativity. The professional version of the Mode Shifting Index (MSI) (Pringle & Sowden, 2017) was presented to members of the Sandplay Therapists of America to explore if aspects of creative cognition, namely ability and awareness of shifting between associative and analytic thinking, was impacted by professional identity development. While results were statistically insignificant across levels of credentialing, creativity scores were high overall, and participants indicated that creativity is important to sandplay therapy and their professional identity. Possible implications of this study include increasing awareness of the value and efficacy of creative cognition, evidenced in sandplay therapists, as well as the ongoing need for creativity training and support in the healing arts. Cite as: McRoberts, R. (2022). Addressing the creativity crisis: Sandplay therapists’ mode- shifting and professional identity development. Journal of Sandplay Therapy, 31(2), 129- 142. https://www.sandplay.org/journal/research- articles/addressing-the-creativity-crisis-sandplay- therapists-mode-shifting-and-professional-identity- development/
... There is rich qualitative evidence supporting the meaningful contribution sand therapy can have to therapeutic change. In addition, over the last two decades -especially over the last 10 years -researchers have published mounting quantitative evidence supporting treatment outcome of various forms of sand therapy (see Roesler, 2019, for a comprehensive overview of the evidence base for SPT). Yet, treatment outcome data lags behind other related approaches, such as child-centered play therapy. ...
Sand therapy is a group of expressive arts interventions that is implemented with a variety of age groups that present to therapy with any number of chief complaints. In this study, we sought to establish an overall effect size for sand therapy, its efficacy with a variety of presenting problems,and the impact moderator variables may have had on effect size. For this meta-analysis, 36 studies were included, which yielded a Hedges’ g of1.165. Additionally, meta-analyses were conducted on several different presenting problems including anxiety (k = 7, g = 1.425), anger (k = 5, g =.760), depression (k = 7, g = 1.071), parent–child relationship issues (k = 5,g = 3.932), and self-esteem (k = 6, g = 1.588). The impact of moderator analyses was conducted which indicated that sand therapy was as effective in group formats (k = 11, g = 1.073) as it was in individual settings (k =7, g = 1.285). Additionally, age groups were analyzed, which indicated that sand therapy had high effect sizes that were roughly the same for adults (k= 14, g = 1.414), adolescents (k = 8, g = 1.035), and children (k = 14, g =1.112). We discuss clinical implications for the use of sand therapy and further research suggestions.
... SPT can consist of two stages: first, the construction of a picture and, second, the client sharing what this picture consists of, specifically their story or ideas regarding the picture they constructed. The therapist may then ask further questions regarding the clients' ideas and the figures used within the picture (Roesler, 2019). ...
The authors analysed the effects of group Sandplay therapy on adolescents' psychological health and resilience in a mixed-method research. They explored and categorized the themes these adolescents expressed during therapy. Fifteen children (n=15) were recruited for the study; (Boarding school children = 5; Day school children = 5; Street children = 5). The selection process was conducted in cooperation with an orphanage in Kabale, Uganda. The children who participated in the study underwent a forty-five-minute sand play therapy every week for nine weeks. The SDQ and RCADS were administered to the groups both pre- and post-intervention, with the data entered and analysed using SPSS. Group sandplay was found to significantly decrease the adolescents' internalizing problems such as anxiety and depression, while their resilience had also significantly improved. The narrative analysis, in turn, yielded seven themes: basic needs; community-love-celebration; giving help-leadership-empowerment; security-danger, recreation-self-development-self-nurturance, education, and seeking help-faith.
To explore how sandplay therapy (SPT) lacking miniatures in schools can help adolescents with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The study will provide a reference and framework for school psychologists and counsellors to use imaginative formations (especially kinaesthetic images) in SPT lacking miniatures to understand and help student-clients with ACEs. The case study method is used to describe the actions taken and image data obtained during the SPT and analyse the themes and kinaesthetic images created. Kinaesthetic images provide an embodiment of emotion and self-regulation. Dynamic scene images evoked by kinaesthetic imagination offer an embodiment of self-development. Co-transference images arising from co-relationships embody self-renewal. Three imaginative formations in SPT: (1) clients’ kinaesthetic images; (2) dynamic (sandpicture) scene images and (3) co-transference images generated in the relationship between therapist and client (images emerging in the psyches of both sides, each other’s images of dreams during SPT). Psychologists and counsellors in schools can use SPT within the framework of three imaginative formations and parental interviews to help improve the internal psychological and external interpersonal and family environments of adolescents with ACEs.
This paper presents Carl Gustav Jung’s theoretical model for the use of creative methods in psychotherapy. An overview is provided of applications of this model in the fields of Sandplay Therapy, art therapies, and therapeutic dream work. An overview is given of empirical studies in these fields investigating the effectiveness of such therapeutic approaches; to some extent, also the validity of the theoretical model has been tested. There is solid support for both effectiveness and the theoretical model in the field of Sandplay Therapy, to some extent also in the field of dream work. In contrast, there is still a need for more research in the field of art therapies. The specific needs for future research and some potential perspectives are outlined.
Background
Sand play (SP) is a global phenomenon that may be linked to children's health outcomes, but limited evidence exists. The purpose was to synthesize evidence on the association between SP and 0‐ to 8‐year‐old children's physical, cognitive and socioemotional outcomes.
Methods
CINAHL, Academic Search Premier, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus with Full Text, ERIC, Medline, Scopus and Google Scholar were searched. Studies were eligible if 0‐ to 8‐year‐old children's outcomes were reported while attending SP. Synthesis was performed using effect direction (quantitative), thematic (qualitative), narrative and results‐based convergent synthesis incorporating the risk of bias and confidence in the evidence assessments. Studies were grouped by SP exposure context as education, leisure and rehabilitation.
Results
The effect direction (Nstudies = 17; Nchildren = 677), thematic (Nstudies = 8; Nchildren = 131) and narrative (Nstudies = 8; Nchildren = 11 784) syntheses included 28 studies published in 1993–2023 (Ntotal = 12 646; Mchildage = 3–6 years; Mgirls 41%; Methnicity Asian 3%, African American/Black/Hispanic 8%, European American/White/Non‐Hispanic 56%, Multi‐ethnic 36%). Based on very low to moderate confidence in the evidence, findings indicated inconsistent associations between educational, rehabilitational and leisure SP and children's physical, cognitive and socioemotional outcomes. There was inconsistent evidence on the occurrence of SP by children's gender and age.
Conclusion
SP may enhance some childhood outcomes. However, high‐quality controlled designs describing the exposure to SP are needed to inform the effectiveness of SP on children's health and development.
This article is a summary of the Research Roundtable at the Sandplay Therapists of America (STA) National Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, November, 2018. Presenters described recent international outcome research studies in sandplay which use quantitative methods, randomized controlled trials and effect size statistics. The presentation highlighted studies that used brain imaging and neurobiology, that studied many different populations and conditions and that incorporated group sandplay. Overall, these studies supported the effectiveness of sandplay. Presenters discussed a proposed meta-analysis for sandplay. The STA research committee offered its support for new research and described the benefits of adding quantitative research to its existing body of case study and theoretical research.
В статье дано описание особенностей использования различных вариантов мультимодального игрового моделирования при работе с кадрами высшей квалификации на различных этапах их подготовки, перечислены наиболее часто наблюдаемые положительные эффекты в плане достижения ими академических и жизненных успехов, указаны наиболее продуктивные режимы применения такого моделирования.
The article describes the features of using various variants of multimodal game modeling when working with highly qualified personnel at various stages of their training, lists the most frequently observed positive effects in terms of achieving academic and life success, and indicates the most productive modes of applying such modeling.
https://www.routledge.com/Jungian-Counseling-and-Play-Therapy-Classical-Theory-for-the-Digital-Age/McRoberts/p/book/9781032559834
Jungian Counseling and Play Therapy is a textbook for graduate-level counseling students and supervisees. It is both an introduction to Jung’s theory and a practical guide to Jungian-informed practice.
Readers journey through the development of the mental health crisis of the digital age (which Jung foresaw) and are presented with solutions he suggested that are still being met with resistance, despite compelling facts. This book not only advocates for a more widespread integration of Jungian ideas into clinical practice, but for greater acknowledgement of the integrity, creativity, and intersecting identities of clients, professional counselors, and play therapists. Integrating historical theory with contemporary research, this book helps students to weave creative techniques into their online and in-person clinical work.
This is an ideal text for a psychodynamic theory, or methods class, or to support counseling students and supervisors becoming interested in, or familiar with, the work of Carl Jung.
Table of Contents: 1. An Ongoing Journey: Personal and Professional 2. Why Jung? 3. The Structure of the Psyche 4. The Functions of the Psyche 5. The Language of the Unconscious 6. Space and Time Together: The Role of the Counselor 7. Creative Techniques 8. When We Reach the End
Стаття розглядає ефективність та перспективи використання арт-технік у корекційній роботі з дітьми, у яких спостерігаються мовленнєві порушення. Автори досліджують роль різноманітних мистецьких методик, таких як малювання, ліплення, ігри з піском, музикотерапія, ігротерапія та інші види арт-терапії, у покращенні мовленнєвих навичок та соціальної адаптації дітей з порушеннями мовленнєвого розвитку. Стаття базується на аналізі вітчизняних та зарубіжних, сучасних наукових досліджень у цій області. Проведено аналіз останніх наукових досліджень та публікацій, що присвячені темі інноваційних корекційних технологій у роботі з дітьми з порушеннями мовленнєвого розвитку. Робота підтверджує постійний інтерес та зусилля у вивченні та корекції порушень мовленнєвого розвитку у дітей. Вчені просвітлюють нові, інноваційні методики розвитку мовленнєвих навичок у дітей та впроваджують їх у практику роботи з логопедичною підтримкою. Закликаючи до подальших досліджень у цій області, стаття ставить за мету поглиблене розуміння теоретичних аспектів використання арт-технік, як інноваційної технології, у корекційній роботі з дітьми з мовленнєвими порушеннями. У роботі підкреслюється важливість індивідуалізованого підходу до кожної дитини з урахуванням її особливостей та потреб. Стаття розкриває особливості впливу різних методів арт-терапевтичних технологій на розвиток мовлення дитини, розвиток та корекцію її пізнавальних процесів. Автори наголошують на необхідності подальших досліджень у цій сфері для розширення розуміння механізмів дії арт-терапії та оптимізації методів корекційної роботи з дітьми з мовленнєвими порушеннями. Робота розкриває особливості використання арт-технологій у корекційно-розвивальних заняттях з дітьми з ООП, та вплив мистецтва на розвиток всіх основних каналів сприйняття інформації - слухового, зорового та рухового. Встановлено, що використання арт-технік позитивно впливає на всі психічні процеси дитини, комунікативну та емоційну сфери.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a common disorder characterized by psychological and neurophysiological impairments. Previous studies show that Jungian Sandplay Therapy (SPT) effectively improves anxiety symptoms in individuals with GAD. This study explores whether clinical symptom improvement from using SPT also involves changes in brain functioning. The study focused on the brain regions implicated in GAD, including the hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, and prefrontal cortex (PFC). Magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to target these brain regions to measure metabolite changes, specifically in the N-Acetylaspartate to creatine (NAA/Cr) ratio—a measure of neuronal viability. A within-subject pre-post design was utilized with adult females from Indonesia diagnosed with GAD (n = 6, ages 21 to 40). Thirty sessions of SPT were provided weekly. Results from both clinical measures of anxiety (HAM-A and GAD-7) indicated mean pretest scores in the clinical range, with average posttest scores below the clinical range for GAD. Likewise, the NAA/Cr ratio mean scores for the hippocampus, amygdala, and PFC were outside the healthy range before and trended toward or into the healthy range after treatment. The NAA/Cr ratio mean scores in the thalamus were in the healthy range before treatment and remained in the healthy range after treatment. This study concludes that SPT effectively improves clinical anxiety symptoms in individuals with GAD and may also improve metabolic brain functioning in the limbic system and PFC. Limitations, implications, and further research are discussed.
This paper discusses silent group Sandplay ( SP ) with early adolescents in circumstances of deprivation, neglect and trauma. SP offered in multiple layers of temenos in a children’s home environment provided a conducive context for inner processing. Considered from a Jungian perspective, SP revealed inner processing at work. Initial portrayals included threats, conflict and chaos, the need for protection and containment and revealed vulnerability. Later SP images and processes depicted progression and regression, uniquely creative together as well as containment and activation of movement. Silent group SP supported and facilitated transcendental and self encounters that included centring, integration, wholeness, numinous and newfound energy. The implications are potentially far-reaching in terms of the relative affordability, accessibility, efficiency and cultural suitability of this intervention that is not reliant on the verbal skills of the participants or the therapist and can be offered to several individuals simultaneously.
ADHD is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder that affects children's behavior, academic performance, and social interactions. This review aims to evaluate the existing evidence for Sandplay therapy, a nonverbal psychodynamic approach, as a complementary treatment for children with ADHD. Ten studies suggest Sandplay therapy improves ADHD symptoms, such as hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention, through symbolic expression, play, and mindfulness. Despite its promise, ethical and practical considerations, including therapist training and treatment cost, must be addressed. Further research is needed to determine long-term effectiveness and optimal patient population for this treatment, which may benefit children unresponsive to or experiencing side effects from traditional treatments.
Expressive terrariums are a recent intervention in the field of ecological art therapy, which combines nature-based horticultural therapy with arts-based activities. An expressive terrarium consists of a plant terrarium in a glass bowl that contains living plants and objects that form a personal artistic-creative whole. The aim of this preliminary qualitative study was to explore the meanings and effects of making and tending an expressive terrarium, as well as its potential as an intervention tool in creative arts therapies. Twenty-three college students were asked to describe their experiences. The findings yielded three themes: (1) their perceptions of the terrarium building workshop, (2) their experiences and feelings while making the terrarium and when (3) tending the terrarium over time. The building phase was shown to facilitate an experience of flow, emotional expression, transformation and elicitation of cognitive skills. The tending phase was perceived as building a relationship with the growing and changing terrarium. The terrarium itself was seen as promoting self-observation. Making and tending the terrarium allowed the participants to engage in developmental tasks and experiences related to young adulthood. These facets of the participants’ experiences thus support the use of the expressive terrarium in therapeutic settings.
A művészetterápia fogalma egy különösen nagy területet fed le és többféle oldalról is megközelíthető, ezért sok definíciója létezik és számtalan alcsoportra osztható fel. Alapvetően a művészetterápiához tartoznak az egyes vizuális művészetekkel foglalkozó terápiák, a zeneterápia, a drámaterápia, az irodalomterápia, továbbá a tánc- és a mozgásterápia egyaránt. Japán esetében elmondható, hogy a művészetek terápiás környezetben való felhasználása sok tekintetben kötődik olyan hagyományos ágazatokhoz, mint a kadō és a kalligráfia. Jelen dolgozat elsődleges célja a művészetterápia és Japán kapcsolatának bemutatása a terápiaválasztás, a két fő énfelfogás, valamint az independens és interdependens társadalmak kulturális sajátosságai alapján. Első lépésben fogalomtörténeti oldalról lényeges megismerni a témához kapcsolódó terminológiát és annak főbb értelmezési lehetőségeit. Történelmi kontextusba helyezve fontos kitérni a pszichológia átvételének körülményeire, hiszen az újdonságnak számító tudományág jelentősen befolyásolta a japán művészetterápia alakulását. Ezzel párhuzamosan a kulturális meghatározottság szempontjából szükséges áttekinteni az én-felfogással kapcsolatos kutatásokat, valamint a japán-specifikus lélektani megfigyeléseket, mint az amae vagy az aidagara. Ezen felül Japán tekintetében érdemes még megvizsgálni a hagyományos japán művészeti irányzatok, a homokterápia és a művészetterápiák közötti összefüggéseket, mivel mind szemléletmódjukban, mind módszertani megközelítésükben sok átfedés található. Ijuin Seiichi, Nakai Hisao, Sakaki Tamotsu, Takano Naoko, Kawai Hayao, Eva Pattis Zoja, Kamei Toshihiko és Yamaguchi Toyoko munkái betekintést nyújtanak a terápia folyamatába, továbbá az egyes eseteken keresztül láthatóvá válik a képalapú nonverbális kommunikáció hatékonysága eltérő kulturális környezetben végzett terápiák során.
p>The article presents a system for evaluating the effectiveness of Sandplay therapy, a modern psychological practice used in complex wellness and developmental programs, and valuable in situations of language and cultural barriers. The criteria for the effectiveness of therapy for adults are defined and differentiated. At the content level, efficiency indicators are an increase in order and a change of the destructive content of sand compositions to constructive and peaceful ones. At the procedural level, the criterion of effectiveness is the quality of "internal dialogue", reflected in the phenomenon of symbol transformation, manifested in the creation of "transitional objects" - a metaphorical support for the accumulation of positive resources. At the interpersonal and communicative level, effectiveness is marked by the appearance of a "transitional space of joint play", which gives rise to "transitional objects" and reflects the specific "resonant interaction" of the therapist and the client, which arises in a situation of emotionally saturated safe support from the therapist. The use of the Sandplay method provides a change of negative perception of oneself and the environment to a willingness to actively interact with reality and helps to reduce stress levels, which makes it possible to recommend the method as a means of broad prevention, including premature biological and psychological aging.</p
The purpose of this article is to investigate the efficacy of Sandplay Therapy (SPT) in reducing children’s kindergarten entrance anxiety in an effort to provide front-line preschool teachers with insights and strategies for addressing the emotional distress of children in their first days of nursery school. As a case study, the application of SPT to a 3-year-old boy who struggled with his transition into kindergarten was cited. The differences in his emotions and behaviors before and after six sessions of SPT were evaluated, revealing that the intervention through SPT significantly decreased his anxiety level while increasing his willingness to attend nursery school and that he finally developed a sound adaptation to the school, according to the comments of the observers. Findings showed that SPT could help kids feel less nervous about starting kindergarten and adjust better to new situations.
This study aims to verify the clinical treatment effect of Sandplay Therapy (SPT) through
MMPI-2 for 22 adolescents who have experienced suicidal events such as suicide attempt
s, suicide accidents, and self-injury. To this end, for 20 weeks from 2019 to 2021, SPT
15 sessions were conducted for 22 teenagers who experienced suicide cases at middle an
d high schools in Cheonan and Asan. The subjects of this study were 6 males (27.3%) an
d 16 females (72.7%) with an average age of 16.32±1.25 years. As the evaluation instru
ments, MMPI-2 were used during the baseline phase and after the termination of the ther
apy. The comparison of the scores according to MMPI-2 clinical scales and detailed evalu
ation scales before and after the 15 session showed that there are statistically significant
changes. There was a statistically significant difference among Clinical Scales: Hs(Hypocho
ndriasis, t=3.298, p= .003), D(Depression, t=4.402, p= <.001), Hy(Hysteria, t= 4.034, p
=.001), Pd(Psychopathic Deviate, t=3.139, p=.005), Pa(Paranoia, t=3.505, p=.002), Pt(Ps
ychathenia, t=2.861, p=.009), Sc(Schizophrenia, t=3.491, p=.002), Si (Social Introversion,
t=5.081, p=<.001). In addition, there was a statistically significant changes: LSE (low self
-esteem, t=4.158, p=<.001) of Content scales, Es (Ego Strength, t=-2.626, p=.016), PK
(Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, t=3.324, p=.003) of Supplementary Scales, DEP3 (Self
-Depreciation, t=4.124, p<.001), DEP4 (Suicidal Ideation, t=4.102, p=.001)in Content Co
mponent Scales. It is believed that SPT provided a positive effect on risk factors such as
trauma, self-esteem and psychiatric status in adolescents who experienced suicidality epis
odes such as suicidal ideation and self-injury and suicidal attempt.
Key words: SPT, Suicide attempts, Suicidal ideations, Self-injury behavior, MMPI-2
A study was conducted to determine whether a sandplay therapy program conducted with children at a childcare center had an effect on the aggression and the peer interactions for participants for whom externalizing behavioral problems were in evidence. Twenty children aged 4–5 years who had externalizing behavioral problems were assigned to one of two groups based on their age and gender with ten children in the experimental group and ten children in the control group. The experimental group received 30 min of sandplay therapy twice a week at their childcare center, for a total of 16 sessions. The control group did not receive any therapy or placebo treatment.
Mann-Whitney tests were conducted to confirm the homogeneity between the two groups prior to the initiation of the program. Results indicated that the sandplay therapy program was effective in reducing aggression and negative peer interactions. The usefulness of sandplay therapy programs conducted in childcare centers is presented and discussed.
Sandplay therapy has been utilized with various populations, including those with posttraumatic stress disorder (e.g., Coalson, 1995), children with traumatic brain injury (e.g., Plotts, Lasser, & Prater, 2008), and individuals with substance abuse problems (e.g., Marcello, 2008). However, there are scant references to the employment of sandplay therapy with individuals with dementia. Using case studies from the author's own work, the article provides concrete illustrations of how sandplay therapy may be a significant mode of therapy to consider in working with dementia. This article also explores how sandplay facilitates the individuation process, provides a venue for nonverbal therapy, and promotes the exploration and deepening of an individual's connection with the unconscious mind. Implications for research are also discussed.
This paper describes the basic knowledge of Sandplay Therapy in detail. It includes the definition, background and origin, theory of sandplay therapy, different client populations, materials, the dimensions of sandplay, process and the role of the therapist. It introduces the current of sandplay research and the future of it.
From the literature of the twentieth-century, it emerges that playing is an essential element for psychotherapy because psychotherapy itself is a creative game that happens in a confined space-time, and because even though it is at the limits between reality and imagination, psychotherapy is a real experience for the patient. With sandplay, the body of the patient enters actively, even with its motion, in the game (play) of the relationship, allowing the therapist to access, first with his body then with his mind, progressively from "non-verbal non-symbolic," through "non-verbal symbolic," to "verbal symbolic" contents experiencing in himself emotional memories from the more archaic to the most evolved. This generates an important tie between the patient and the therapist, a co-transference that is necessary for a transformative process to occur in the patient. This is well expressed in the images of the alchemic process described by C. G Jung in "Rosarium Philosophorum" (in Psychology of the Transference , CW 16), in which it appears that just from "coniunctio" can emerge a new symbolic capacity that can activate a process of individuation. New neuro-scientific studies concerning three important fields can help us to reflect on the therapeutic process that happens in the co-transference relationship of sandplay. The first important research is in the field of implicit memory, an emotional experience of the early years of life, that does not allow easy access to symbolization. The emotional experience may be transformed not through interpretations, but through a new experience of relationship. The second important field of research is on the embodied-self. The sense that we have of our body seems to derive from an affordance with the surrounding environment. This sense is given by the possibility and the ability to accomplish an action, i.e. from an "intentional movement," that begins with a representation of the action that we already have through mirror neurons. Tactile, visual, and auditory sensations would seem to function only as positive or negative feedback for action, and would not seem to be the primary elements on which we come to have a sense of our body. The third important field of study is the empathetic capacity of the mirror neurons of the observer to recognize the motor intentionality of the subject that is observed. This empathetic capacity grows proportionally with the experience of the embodied-self of the observer. Returning to the relationship between patient-therapist in sandplay therapy and more specifically analyzing the elements that are introduced in the therapy through sandplay, my discussion compares new neuro-scientific theories with the latest clinical intuitions that concern the transformations that happen in the psychotherapeutic process. From this study it might be possible that new theoretical and empirical studies for sandplay therapy will emerge (Sandplay Therapy: From Alchemy to Neuroscience is a transcription of the presentation given at the 21st International Society for Sandplay Therapy Congress: Origins, Evolution, Essentials, 2011 in Ittingen, Switzerland).
This article compares Kalff's observations of the healing and change process in sandplay with recent neurobiological findings regarding brain development. Kalff's pre-conscious developmental phases, the mother-child unity, relationship to the mother and constellation of the Self, are supported by new findings regarding growth and change in the human brain. Particular emphasis is drawn to the seminal role of human relationship in both brain development and its parallel components in the containment of the free and protected space of sandplay. The material in this article is explained more fully in this author's book, The Handbook of Sandplay Therapy .
The STA Research Committee with its growing number of members is addressing the need for, and the difficulties in doing, outcome research that demonstrates the value of sandplay therapy. A Round Table Discussion of research possibilities that was held at the 1999 ISST Congress is summarized .
This article examines Jung's definition of the symbol and its function to bring about psychic healing and transformation. The author explores the impact of the presence of the therapist on sandplay, and suggests that the interacting fiends of observing attitude of therapist and client can work together to stabilize and strengthen symbolic transformation. The article explains the appearance of the opposite poles of the symbol and their function in the process of psychic transformation. The transcendent function is defined and illustrated by the case vignette of a 7-year-old girl, whose sandplay addresses issues of feminine identity.
This study explored the effectiveness of the Bonding through Experiential Adventures in Recovery (BEAR) program and the role of sandplay therapy in addressing the complex needs of youth (ages 14-24) with co-occurring trauma and substance use disorders. BEAR incorporated sandplay therapy, adventure therapy, art therapy and recovery-oriented supports in addition to the evidence-based, 16-week Matrix Model intensive outpatient treatment program. A mixed methods quasi-experimental design was utilized to evaluate the program. Data was collected through questionnaires at approximately 2-month intervals—admission, midway through treatment, and at discharge. Separate focus groups were held with youth, parents, and staff with their responses evaluated using grounded theory. Results demonstrate that the youth who participated in BEAR significantly improved daily functioning at home, school, and in their community, and reduced the severity of their substance use problem and symptoms of distress associated with trauma exposure. Sandplay therapy positively impacted engagement in treatment with youth endorsing sandplay as the most helpful part of the program. The role of sandplay therapy in the treatment of trauma and addictions is discussed, along with implications for further research.
Abstract
Employing a collective case study qualitative approach, sandplay therapy
(sandplay) was utilized to study the phenomenological experiences of four adults with moderate to severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and to explore the process of individuation as defined by Carl Jung in these individuals. Participants ranged in age from 22 to 36, completed 12 to 18 sand trays, and were seen in an outpatient neurorehabilitation center. Results indicated that the participants could express themselves through sandplay in ways previously unavailable to them verbally. The contents of psychotherapy for all of the participants centered on their TBI experiences and its devastating impact on their lives, as well as a quest for deeper psychological goals such as wholeness, purpose, connection to life, and acceptance. Furthermore, a Sandplay Sensory Feedback Loop was developed to describe how these four participants progressed through seven phases of psychological development. The process that emerged was likened to an individuation journey wherein unconscious contents are made conscious, there is confrontation of shadow
material, and the Self is manifested. Implications for using multisensory
forms of psychotherapy with persons with TBI, and for applying similar
research designs in future studies of sandplay and the individuation process are discussed.
The aim of this research was to determine the effects of sandplay therapy on the anxiety, attachment relations, and interpersonal stress of children of alcoholic fathers. The subjects were 20 children from low-income families with alcoholic fathers who were suggested by teachers at two local childrenâs centers in Cheonan City in South Chungcheong Province and two centers located in Pyeongtaek City in Gyeonggi Province. The Korean version of the Children of Alcoholics Test (CAST-K) was administered, and among those children who scored 12 points or higher, ten children were chosen for the experimental group and ten children were chosen for the control group. Sandplay therapy was only conducted with the experimental group. The counseling involved a 40-minute session per week for a total of twelve sessions, including pre- and post-tests, from November 2012 to March 2013. The sandplay therapy program was administered on a one-to-one basis by two sandplay therapists. To verify the changes in the pre- and post-test levels of anxiety, attachment relations, and interpersonal stress of the experimental and control groups, a non-parametric test of Mann-Whitneyâs U test and Wilcoxonâs signed rank test was conducted. The results of the study indicated the effectiveness of sandplay therapy in reducing anxiety, improving attachment relations and reducing interpersonal stress, and the potential of being an effective instrument for therapy.
A request for guidelines in interpretation of sandplay scenes by American students prompted this article. These considerations are based on the suggestion that Sandplay allows for the expression of preverbal consciousness or lunar consciousness. Symbols are discriminated from signs. Interpretation by the therapist to the client is discouraged, in order to not limit free, creative expression. Twenty points are given for the understanding of a client's sandplay process. The author concludes by restating the limitation of words in communicating about a specific sandtray.
This study was conducted to verify the effects of sandplay therapy on the emotional clarity and brainwave indexes related to self-regulation in female juvenile delinquents. Ten female juvenile delinquents in a juvenile reformatory who were 15 to 19 years old were selected as the experimental group. For control group, ten female juvenile delinquents in OO Womenâs High School recommended by their teacher were selected. The sandplay therapy program was performed for about 60 minutes once every week for 10 sessions in total. Tests were conducted with the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS) before and after the intervention of the sandplay therapy program. To check the changes in brainwave indexes after each session, the brainwaves were measured before and after each session. The findings from this study can be summed up as follows: First, the emotional clarity of the experimental group significantly increased after the sandplay therapy. Second, the brainwave indexes related to self-regulation of the experimental group significantly increased after the sandplay therpay as well. Consequently, this study verified that the sandplay therapy was effective in preventing the relapse of the female juvenile delinquents by improving their emotional clarity and changing their brainwave indexes, thereby improving their adaptability to reality through self growth.
This study preformed sandplay therapy, a type of individual psychotherapy, targeting college students with ADHD tendencies to determine whether the therapy was effective in reducing their depression, anxiety, and saliva cortisol which is a biochemical indicator of stress. This research used Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scale-Korean Version (CAARS-K), Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI), and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), targeting 797 college students in the central region of Korea. Among the participants who fell into the top 20% and displayed high levels of depression and anxiety in Conners’ ADHD rating scale, eight students who agreed to the experiment were finally selected. The sandplay therapy program was conducted for a total of ten weeks, one session per week, 45 minutes per session. pre-tests and post-tests questionnaire surveys were conducted and saliva cortisol samples were collected on a biweekly basis pre-tests and post-tests each session during the program. The statistical programs used to verify the effectiveness of this study were SPSS 15.0 Version and the Wilcoxon Rank Sum-Test, a non-parametric statistical process, was performed to verify the pre-tests and post-tests effect of each variable. The results indicated that sandplay therapy was effective in reducing their depression, state-trait anxiety, and the secretion of cortisol, a hormone related to endocrine stress.
This study aims to verify the effects of sandplay therapy on visually disabled university studentsâ anxiety, depression, and psychological well-being. To this end, twelve visually disabled college students were selected as participants and sandplay therapy was applied to each of them twice per week, forty-five minutes per each time, for a total of five weeks. Changes in questionnaire scores of the participants were compared between prior to and after the experiment and their sandplay therapy process was analyzed based on the Sandplay Categorical Checklist (SCC). Pre- and post-tests were conducted using self-reporting anxiety scale for the blind (ASB), depression scale (KDS-30), and psychological well-being scale (PWBS). The results obtained from this study are as follows: first, sandplay therapy was effective in decreasing visually disabled university studentsâ anxiety over their personal disposition, interpersonal relationships, and relationships with normal people. Second, sandplay therapy was effective in reducing visually disabled university studentsâ negative thoughts about self, feelings of depression, and loss of will. Third, sandplay therapy was effective in increasing visually disabled university studentsâ autonomy and self-acceptance and positively changing their interpersonal relationships.
This study aimed to verify the effects of sandplay therapy on the behavioral problems, self-esteem, and emotional intelligence of children in grandparents-grandchildren families in rural Korean areas. To this end, the researcher selected fifteen children for an experimental group and another fifteen children for a control group from grandparents-grandchildren families in a rural area. The selection process was conducted in cooperation with three elementary schools and seven local children centers in A and B cities in South Chungcheong Province. Those children who participated in the study underwent a forty-minute session of sandplay therapy every week for twelve weeks. The following pre and post-tests were administered to the subjects: the Teacher’s Report Form, which assesses a student’s adaption ability and behavioral problems; the Self-esteem Scale, which was reconfigured from the Self-esteem Inventory; and the Emotional Intelligence Scale. The results of this study showed that sandplay therapy was effective in improving behavioral problems as well as the self-esteem and emotional intelligence of children in grandparents-grandchildren families in rural areas.
The motivation behind the study on sandplay and storytelling was the assumption that creative imagination is a powerful tool in the process of learning and emotional-behavioral development, an assumption grounded in scholarship that emphasizes the importance of play in child development and learning.The study investigated and evaluated the use of sandplay and storytelling and its influence on children's learning and emotional-behavioral development. The study took place in a primary school in Iceland. The pupils observed had learning disabilities, poor reading competence, attention and/or emotional problems.Each pupil made 12 sandplay creations and stories during the school year. Among the assessment tools were psychological tests: WISC, Achenbach and ADHD scales. All participants made progress in one or more area under observation. It is of special interest that eight pupils made significant improvement in their WISC scores. The most striking result occurred in perceptual scores, as 16 of 19 participants made progress in this area. The outcome of the psychological tests suggests that sandplay and imaginative storytelling facilitate children's emotional-behavioral development.
Recently, the number of international married couples in South Korea has been increasing and thus the related negative social phenomena, which have been observed in other multicultural societies, are also increasing. The purpose of this study was to implement group sandplay therapy on migrant women in international marriages in Korea and Verify that this intervention was effective in relieving the women's social anxiety and loneliness and improving the self-expression. The results indicated that using sandplay, women who immigrated to and live in Korea for marriage can reduce negative emotions related to anxiety and loneliness, and produce positive self-expressions, while making their own world.
This study explored the outcomes of restricted group sandplay therapy (RGST) on college students in China with interpersonal difficulties and self image issues. The study involved nine students at a university in Beijing identified with social distress and avoidance issues who participated in an eight session group therapy intervention using the RGST approach. Participant outcomes were measured using both objective and subjective measures. Objective measure involved the Social Avoidance and Distress Scale (SAD) at pretest and posttest to measure the social avoidance and distress participants felt before and after the group. The subjective means involved examining the sandtray creations of the group each session to observe overall changes in the group's attitudes and reactions toward each other; and by evaluating participants’ self image as reflected by their choice of sandtray miniatures to represent themselves at pretest and posttest.. The results suggested noticeable improvements in both participants’ SAD scores and self-image representations The group process also showed marked improvement in the amount of social awareness and coordination experienced by group members through the RGST intervention. Although the results must be regarded as tentative due to a low sample size and lack of regression statistical analyses, the group appeared to show promising findings for the use of the RGST in future social skills groups.
The effectiveness of group sandtray therapy was examined using a pretest-posttest control group design with young adolescent girls (n = 37) identified as having low self-esteem. A split-plot analysis of variance (SPANOVA) revealed statistically significant differences between participants in the treatment and control groups in self-esteem on five of the six subscales of the Self-Perception Profile for Children. The implications of the findings are discussed.
A school-based action-research intervention with children with autism spectrum disorders investigated whether sandplay could be used as a medium to stimulate creative and symbolic play. Twenty-five elementary school children in four separate special education classes within the regular school system participated in sandplay workshops once a week for 10 sessions. The intervention aimed to stimulate communication, social interaction, and symbolic play through the use of rhythm- and movement-based rituals and sandplay. Over the 10-week program, children demonstrated through sandplay increased verbal expression, engaged and sustained social interaction, and increased symbolic, spontaneous, and novel play. The study suggests that creativity-based interventions provide a complementary approach to behavior/social skills-based intervention models prevalent in schools working with children with autism spectrum disorders.
Extends the author's (1979) study on the technique, which assesses the type, arrangement, and frequency of toys placed by children or adolescents in a sand box. 88 10–15 yr old males were divided into 2 groups: Elementary school and junior high school students composed the "adjusted" group, while delinquent and emotionally disturbed males composed the "maladjusted" group. Results indicate that the Sand Play Technique has some retest reliability, in that the maladjusted groups showed higher coefficient values in almost all indices. (7 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Extensive media exposure to natural disasters such as tsunamis may cause adverse effects including psychological distress and even posttraumatic symptoms in young children, particularly those who have suffered previous losses and trauma. This paper analyzes spontaneous representations of the 2004 tsunami through sandplay by a group of immigrant and refugee preschoolers, beginning 2 weeks after the tragedy. The children used a variety of coping strategies, making both nonverbal and verbal references to the tsunami. It was represented using a variety of figurines, including religious ones. We considered the children in light of four categories based on family homeland and psychological affinity to the tsunami experience. Our results suggest that sandplay provides an appropriate space to express and work through emotions stemming from the interaction of past and present experiences of adversity.
This evaluative study assesses the efficacy of a school-based secondary prevention program consisting of creative expression workshops for immigrant and refugee preschoolers in a predominantly South Asian multiethnic neighborhood. Coincidentally, the program began in the wake of the tsunami.
Pretest and posttest data were collected from the parents and teachers of 105 preschoolers in 10 classes randomly assigned to an experimental or control status. The parents' and teachers' versions of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire were used to assess the children's mental health. The family's ethnic origins and premigration experiences of organized violence were considered in the analysis.
According to both the teachers' and parents' reports, the children in the experimental group benefited moderately from the program, which appeared to reduce the SDQ global score of children whose families had experienced violence in their homelands (t(21) = 3.83, p = .001 (MT(1) = 12.81, MT(2) = 9.59)), in particular those from South Asia.
This study provides some evidence that immigrant preschoolers whose families have experienced adversity before migration can benefit from the creative expression workshops. Further studies are needed to determine if this program can help address the effects of mass media exposure to a disaster or traumatic event on vulnerable communities.
The effectiveness of sandplay therapy on junior high school students’ test anxiety
- Chen
Sandplay productions of students with lost relatives in earthquake
- Chen
Group sandtray therapy at school with preadolescents identified with behavioral difficulties
- Flahive
Healing trauma through sandplay therapy: A neuropsychological perspective
- Freedle
Retest reliability of the sandplay techniques
- Fuiji
The sandplay. A contribution from C.G. Jung´s Point of view on child therapy
- Kalff
The effectiveness of sandplay therapy in reducing anxiety in midlife women diagnosed with GAD
- Foo
Effectiveness of sandplay therapy on earthquake survivors in Nepal
- Hwang
Jungian psychology in Japan
- Kawai
Development and validation of healing experience of image in sandplay therapy questionnaire
- Li
Characteristics in initial sandtray of patients with borderline personality disorder
- Li
Psychotherapy for patients with mood disorder accompanied by personality disorder
- Osumi
Sandplay. A method for data analysis
- Ramos
Characteristics of initial sandplay in persons with obsession symptom
- Tan
Sandplay: A method of research with trauma
- Ramos
Comparison of the characteristics of introversion and extroversion personality with the sandtray
- Tan
Sandplay therapy with bronchia asthma: A qualitative study on its effectiveness
- Toyoshima