Tornero María D L Angeles, Capella Claudia
Department of Psychology, Universidad de ChileSantiago, Chile.
Front Psychol. 2017 May 4;8:617. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00617. eCollection 2017.
This paper presents the results of a qualitative study on the use of sandplay, or sand tray therapy, in the psychotherapeutic process of children who have been sexually abused. A longitudinal study was carried out with seven participants between the ages of 7 and 10 years old. Data was produced during observation of the therapeutic activity over the course of three different phases of treatment, using a rubric created especially for this observation. Three sandplay sessions were recorded: one at the start of therapy, one at the 3-month mark, and the third and final session after 6 months of treatment. Sessions were then transcribed for later analysis. A rubric was developed in order to help researchers identify central themes, behaviors and content of creative play, as well as the therapeutic relationship. Transcribed sessions and observation rubrics were evaluated using qualitative content analysis, and information was categorized according to verbal and behavioral characteristics of the game. Results of the present study reveal common and transversal forms of playful expression among this group of children shown by their engagement with sandplay. During this activity, participants elaborate personal stories that feature violence as a central theme, often involving aggression between two or more individuals. They also express their need for care and protection and work to resolve conflicts using fantasy. The shifting dynamics of sandplay at each stage of therapeutic treatment is an important finding that reveals the progress made during psychotherapy. In the third phase of treatment, sandplay encouraged movement among children, allowing them to act out meaningful scenarios and create structured situations with positive outcomes. Finally, the value of sandplay as an important therapeutic tool is discussed, primarily its role in supporting processes of change and allowing participants to assign new meanings to traumatic experiences. Its application to the field of clinical psychology, particularly when working with victims of sexual abuse, is also explored.
本文介绍了一项关于沙盘游戏（即沙盘疗法）在遭受性虐待儿童心理治疗过程中应用的定性研究结果。对7名年龄在7至10岁之间的参与者进行了一项纵向研究。在治疗的三个不同阶段观察治疗活动期间收集数据，使用专门为此观察创建的评分标准。记录了三次沙盘游戏治疗过程：一次在治疗开始时，一次在治疗3个月时，第三次也是最后一次在治疗6个月后。随后对这些过程进行转录以便后续分析。制定了一个评分标准，以帮助研究人员识别创造性游戏的核心主题、行为和内容，以及治疗关系。使用定性内容分析法对转录后的治疗过程和观察评分标准进行评估，并根据游戏的言语和行为特征对信息进行分类。本研究结果揭示了这群儿童通过参与沙盘游戏所表现出的常见且普遍的游戏表达形式。在这个活动中，参与者精心构思以暴力为核心主题的个人故事，通常涉及两个或更多个体之间的攻击行为。他们还表达了对关爱和保护的需求，并通过幻想努力解决冲突。治疗各阶段沙盘游戏动态的变化是一项重要发现，揭示了心理治疗过程中取得的进展。在治疗的第三阶段，沙盘游戏促使儿童行动起来，让他们演绎有意义的场景并创造出有积极结果的结构化情境。最后，讨论了沙盘游戏作为一种重要治疗工具的价值，主要是其在支持改变过程以及让参与者为创伤经历赋予新意义方面的作用。还探讨了其在临床心理学领域的应用，特别是在治疗性虐待受害者时的应用。
