|Abstract or Summary
- The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of therapeutic
self-directive play as a means of developing positive self-concepts
and motivation of educationally handicapped children.
Further consideration was also given to behavioral changes as viewed
by the classroom teacher and aide. The population of the study consisted
of 47 educationally handicapped children ranging in age from
6-0 through 13-1. The SCAMIN (Self-Concept Motivational
Inventory) was administered to the entire population. The teacher and
aide of each of the self-contained classes rated each child on the
Burks' Behavior Rating Scales.
Each of the four educationally handicapped classes participating
in this study had an experimental group and a control group. The
control group consisted of 23 subjects, representing a developmental
first, an educationally handicapped primary class and two intermediate
educationally handicapped classes. The experimental (treatment)
group consisted of 24 subjects, a developmental first, an educationally
handicapped primary and two intermediate educationally handicapped
classes. All experimental groups received therapeutic self-directed
play. The control groups received no treatment. The subjects were
assigned at random to a treatment (experimental) or to a non-treatment
The members of the experimental group received 24 therapeutic
self-directive play sessions, meeting twice weekly for 30 minutes over
a 12 week period. The group was facilitated by this investigator.
Differences among pre-test and post-test, experimental group
and control group, teacher evaluations and aide evaluations were all
done by appropriate groping of the raw data and the use of the t test.
Two general assumptions were formulated and tested using the
null hypothesis approach: (1) The use of therapeutic, self-directive play
in an educational setting would produce no statistically significant difference
(t test M₁ - M₂ at the 10% level of confidence) in mean experimental
and control group self-concept and motivation scores on the
SCAMIN; (2) The use of therapeutic, self-directive play in an educational
setting would produce no statistically significant differences (t test M₁ M₂ at the 10% level of confidence) in mean experimental and
control group behaviors as measured by Burks' Behavior Rating
Scales applied by teachers and aides.
Significant positive changes in self-concept and motivational
attributes, as measured by the mean of the group, were found among
the experimental groups in some of the self-contained classes.
Motivation was significantly higher at the . 10 level for those students
in the experimental group than for those in the control group. No
significant positive change was found for any control group. Assumption
one was accepted, as significant statistical evidence was presented
to indicate that educationally handicapped children receiving
therapeutic self-directive play demonstrated a change in self-concept
and motivation which was different from those educationally handicapped
children receiving no treatment,
Significant positive behavioral changes were found to be predominant
in the experimental groups of most classes as viewed by
both teachers and aides. When the entire group was considered,
significant positive behavioral change was found in coordination and
less resistance at the , 05 level and academics at the . 01 level as
viewed by the teacher. Teachers saw no significant positive changes
within the entire control group. Although trends were noted, in the
consideration of the entire experimental group versus the entire
control group, no significant changes were noted for either group as
viewed by the aides. Inspection of the raw data also suggests confirmation
of assumption two, educationally handicapped children
receiving therapeutic self-directive play demonstrated changes in
behavior which were different from those of educationally handicapped
children receiving no treatment.
Both practical experience and theoretical knowledge suggest that
changes such as those here reported depend upon the individuals and
the contexts in which they are involved. This study clearly supports
the proposition that therapeutic, self-directed play is beneficial to
children with learning disabilities.