The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral play therapy on externalizing behavior problems among street and working children

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral play therapy on externalizing behavior problems among street and working children. Methods: This experimental study was conducted with a pre- and posttest control group design. The statistical population of this study included girls aged 7-10 years who had been identified by the social workers working in Kiana Sociocultural Group Center in the city of Karaj in order to study, participate in educational programs, and also receive the relevant services. To this end, 40 of the girls who scored 63 or above from the Teacher's Report Form (TRF) were randomly selected and assigned to intervention and control groups. Then, the intervention group was divided into 4 groups of 5 girls who participated in a cognitive-behavioral play therapy program for 12 one-hour sessions lasting 2 sessions per week. Following the intervention, teachers once again filled out the Achenbach's Teacher Report Form (TRF) for both intervention and control groups, and finally, the data were analyzed. Results: The findings revealed that reduction in externalizing behavior problems among children such as aggression and law-breaking behavior in the intervention group compared with those in the control group was significant (P < 0.01). Discussion: It seems that one of the effective ways to lessen externalizing behavior problems among street and working children is cognitive-behavioral play therapy; therefore, coaches and teachers of such children are recommended to make use of this method to lower their behavioral problems.