Effectiveness of Group Play Therapy on Improving Interpersonal Relationships and Social Acceptance of Deaf Students

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of group play therapy on improving interpersonal relationships and increasing social acceptance in students with hearing impairment. The present study is experimental of type pre-test and post-test with control group. The statistical population of this study included all students with hearing impairment fourth, fifth and sixth grade girl students studying in the exceptional schools of Rasht city in the academic year 2015-16. The sample in this study Included 30 of these students that were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Interventional group play therapy program for 12 sessions of 45 minutes was implemented on the experimental group, while the control group did not receive such an intervention. Both groups were evaluated in pre-test and post-test with Hudson’s (1997) Peer relationships and Ford's and Robin's (1970) social acceptance questionnaires. The t-test statistical results showed a difference the mean of the pre-test with post-test of the interpersonal relationships variable. Also, the results of covariance analysis showed that group play therapy is effective on improving interpersonal relationships and increasing social acceptance of students with hearing impaired (p<0.001). Therefore, in training students with hearing impairment, playing and play therapy should be considered as one of the main axes of rehabilitation by specialists and teachers.

Keywords

• students with hearing impairment
• group play therapy
• social acceptance
• interpersonal relationships