M.Cur. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of play therapy as a method of intervention for children with a variety of emotional and behavioral problems. Specifically, the study was aimed at determining the effectiveness of play therapy in: (a) improving self-concepts of children with adjustment difficulties; (b) reducing internalizing behavior problems, such as withdrawal, somatic complaints, anxiety, and depression; (c) reducing externalizing behavioral problems such as aggression and delinquent behaviors; (d) reducing overall behavior problems, social problems, thought problems, and attention problems of children with adjustment difficulties; and (e) reducing parenting stress of parents of children who were experiencing adjustment difficulties.The experimental group consisted of 15 children who were experiencing a variety of adjustment difficulties and received play therapy once per week for 7 to 10 weeks. The control group consisted of 14 children who were experiencing a variety of adjustment difficulties and who were on a waiting list to receive intervention, and therefore, did not receive any treatment during the time of data collection. Experimental and control group children were administered the Joseph Pre-School and Primary Self-Concept Screening Test and parents of all participants completed the Child Behavior Checklist and the Parenting Stress Index at pretest and posttest data collection times. A gain scores analysis revealed that children in the experimental group demonstrated a significant improvement on internalizing behavior problems. Also, a reduction in externalizing behavior problems and parenting stress was observed. No improvement in self-concept was demonstrated. This study provides evidence that play therapy is a viable intervention for treating a variety of emotional and behavioral difficulties in young children, particularly children who are experiencing internalizing behavior problems.

A research report submitted to the Discipline of Psychology in the School of Human and Community Development in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master in Education (Educational Psychology) in the faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2017 / The study aimed to explore the views of practicing educational psychologists on their roles and functions within the South African context. The main purpose of the study was to document demographic and descriptive data in relation to educational psychologists’ training, areas of work, and views of their roles and functions, within the context of changes in education policy and their professional practice in South Africa. The study used a descriptive survey design. One hundred and twenty seven respondents who were qualified educational psychologists completed a self- designed descriptive questionnaire. The findings of this study indicate that majority of educational psychologists in South Africa are practicing in a private practice capacity and majority service urban areas. Educational psychologists in this study highlighted three key areas of psychological intervention that they are engaged in, namely psycho-educational assessments, parent guidance, and child psychotherapy. Other key findings in this report highlight the gaps in training experienced by the respondents; the positive and negative aspects of the Education White Paper 6 policy as experienced by the respondents and their views on the educational psychology scope of practice. / XL2018

Orientador: Jorge Luís Ferreira Abrão / Banca: Francisco Hashimoto / Banca: Walter José Martins Migliorini / Banca: Helena Rinaldi Rosa / Banca: Regina Gioconda de Andrade / Resumo: A Psicanálise com Crianças inicia seu percurso na Europa no início do século XX, marcado pelas contribuições pioneiras de Melanie Klein e Anna Freud. No Brasil, essa modalidade de atendimento psicanalítico começou a ser difundida a partir da década de 1930 e acabou se disseminando em práticas institucionais bem estruturadas, culminando em produção teórica expressiva. E, sob os auspícios das Sociedades de Psicanálise, esse ramo da ciência psicanalítica encontrou maior ressonância para sua aplicação, divulgação, formação de analistas infantis e produção teórica que, apesar de não vultosa, tem se mostrado altamente expressiva. De forma análoga, o meio universitário, por intermédio de sua produção científica, vem devotando maior atenção à compreensão das influências que a psicanálise exerce sobre a maneira de abordamos esse tema, já presente nos cursos de Psicologia desde que foram inaugurados, na década de 1960. A partir dos anos 1980, podemos observar um fenômeno alvissareiro, a acolhida da psicanálise pelos cursos de pós-graduação em diversas universidades brasileiras. Dessa forma, a universidade fomentou a produção teórica sobre o tema, por não visar à formação analítica stricto sensu e representar um ambiente mais neutro, mais apto a estimular e a aceitar a miríade de pontos de vista, do que a instituição psicanalítica. Por meio da análise de dissertações e teses produzidas em cursos de pós-graduação em psicologia na última década, a presente pesquisa tem por objetivo investigar a produção teórica psicanalítica com crianças no século XXI, a partir da produção científica acadêmica. Tomando como referência o método histórico contextual, a pesquisa consistiu inicialmente em um levantamento bibliográfico sobre o tema em dissertações e teses nacionais, no período de 2000 a 2010. A partir dos resultados, foram definidas quatro... / Abstract: Child Psychoanalysis starts its journey in Europe in the early twentieth century, marked by the pioneering contributions of Melanie Klein and Anna Freud. In Brazil, this type of psychoanalytic service began to be widespread from the 1930s and ended up spreading in well-structured institutional practices, culminating in significant theoretical production. Futhermore, under the auspices of Psychoanalysis Societies, this branch of psychoanalytic science has found greater resonance to its implementation, dissemination, training of child analysts and theoretical work which, though not bulky, has been highly significant. Similarly, academia, through its scientific production, is devoting greater attention to understanding the influences that psychoanalysis has on the way we approach the subject, which has been present in Psychology courses since they were inaugurated in 1960. Since the 1980s, we can observe an auspicious phenomenon, the reception of psychoanalysis by graduate courses in various universities. Therefore, the university encouraged the growth of theoretical literature on the topic, for it didn't aim at a strict analytic training, but at representing a more neutral environment, better able to stimulate and to accept the myriad of points of view than the psychoanalytic institution. Through the analysis of theses and dissertations produced in graduate courses in psychology over the past decade, this research aims at investigating the psychoanalytic theoretical work on children in the twenty-first century, basing on the academic scientific production of that period. Taking the contextual historical method as a reference, the research initially consisted of a bibliographical survey on the topic in national dissertations and theses, from 2000 to 2010. Basing on the results, four categories have been defined, considering the nature of the work: conceptual, psychoanalysis with children... / Doutor

This study examined the relationship between perceived parenting skills and youth externalizing symptoms throughout the course of routine treatment of youth receiving services in a community mental health setting. Specifically, this study investigated whether changes in parenting skills were associated with changes in three dimensions of youth externalizing behaviors (behavioral dysfunction, interpersonal relations, social problems). Participants were 401 youth (aged 4-17, mean aged 10.7, 48% female) and their parents/guardians. At regular intervals throughout treatment, parents completed the Treatment Support Measure (TSM) to assess perceived parenting skills along with the Youth Outcome Questionnaire (Y-OQ) to assess youth externalizing symptoms. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses revealed that changes in perceived parenting skills were not significantly related to changes youth behavioral dysfunction, interpersonal relations, or social problems. However, parenting skills and all facets of externalizing significantly changed throughout the course of therapy and higher parenting skills were associated with lower levels of youth externalizing throughout therapy. Parenting skill appears to require further study as a key factor involved in youth psychotherapy outcomes in real world settings, especially in relation to youth externalizing symptoms.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ball State University, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Nov. 12, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. 150-173).

Two studies were conducted. A longitudinal study (12 months) was designed to describe the physiological and psychological recovery patterns in a group of pediatric patients who were recently treated for a malignancy. An intervention program (12 week rehabilitation exercise program), was used to separate the effects of deconditioning from the disease and/or its treatment in children who had been out of treatment for a malignancy for at least one year. In the twelve month study, 10 pediatric patients recently out of treatment and 10 healthy controls were tested at 0, 6, 12 weeks and 6 and 12 months. In the twelve week study, 18 patients and 52 healthy controls were assigned to an exercise or no exercise group and were tested at 0, 6 and 12 weeks. At each test session, all subjects were tested for measures of height, weight, sum of skin folds, blood pressure, and pulmonary function. Each subject completed a 30s Wingate test on a cycle ergometer, for measures of anaerobic capacity, and a maximal oxygen consumption test (15 or 20 W/min, ramp protocol) to volitional fatigue for measures of aerobic fitness. A measurement of self-esteem and self-confidence were tested using the Harter scale Self-Perception Profile for Children and Adolescents. All subjects were also evaluated at 0 and 12 weeks (again at 6 and 12 months in the 12 month study) using Doppler and M-mode echocardiography to note cardiovascular changes during semi-supine exercise. Results of both studies show no significant differences between the patients and the healthy controls in any of the physiology, psychology, or cardiology measures. The patients did demonstrate a similar response to exercise in many measures but their values were reduced in magnitude. The patients consistently performed below both the healthy controls in all physiological and cardiology measures but these trends were not statistically significant. It would appear that the majority of children and adolescent patients who were followed in this study are functioning remarkably well both physically and psychologically compared to their healthy controls.

Because children have different needs and function differently from adults, special training for leaders of children's groups is required. Child group psychotherapy is a unique treatment modality and it requires specific facilitation skills. The primary objective of child group psychotherapy is to improve the child's immediate adaptation to his or her life situation, build ego strength and teach problem-solving skills. The aim of the study was to explore the knowledge, skills and attributes of facilitators of psychotherapeutic groups for children.

Because children have different needs and function differently from adults, special training for leaders of children's groups is required. Child group psychotherapy is a unique treatment modality and it requires specific facilitation skills. The primary objective of child group psychotherapy is to improve the child's immediate adaptation to his or her life situation, build ego strength and teach problem-solving skills. The aim of the study was to explore the knowledge, skills and attributes of facilitators of psychotherapeutic groups for children.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 227-244).