Play Therapy as a self-healing and Life-skills enhancing tool for Children under problematic Situations: Two Orphanages in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) in Focus

Abstract

Objective: The objectives of the study were to know whether play therapy can facilitate the self-healing process, to improve the academic performance, increase the attentive level, and to ensure self-confidence and esteem of children under difficult circumstances. Methods: Data for this study were the case works of the researcher (for about two years), as a play therapist and Clinical Supervisor. Pre- and post-therapy measures using the SDQ (The Goodman’s Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) were obtained from 17 children (9 females and 8 males) and analysed. The study used quantitative data as its major source of information even though there were some qualitative data obtained from the direct observation of the children, focus group discussions and interviews with counsellors, social workers, teachers and caregivers. Results: The results of the study revealed that there was a statistically significant difference between Pre-SDQ and Post-SDQ results showing a reliable improvement of the conditions of the children, which could mostly be due to therapeutic play sessions. That is, matched t-test indicated that the means difference was statistically significant: t (16) =13.94, p<0.05. Moreover, qualitative data from direct observation of the children, focus group discussions and interview results obtained from counsellors, social workers, teachers and caregivers have supplemented the above quantitative results. Conclusions: Play is the naturally pleasurable activity for children and play therapy is found to be an effective therapeutic technique for children and young adolescents. The process of play is a self-healing process for most children in problems. Ideas for future interventions were presented and implications about the wellbeing of the children were discussed.