The effect of Group Theraplay on preschool children's social-emotional well-being, psychological resilience and anxiety levels

This study was conducted to examine the effects of Group Theraplay® intervention on anxiety levels, psychological resilience and social-emotional well-being of preschool children aged 36-59 months. The study was conducted with a pre-test-post-test control group experimental design; 119 children attending preschool education in Istanbul (experimental = 64, control = 55) and their parents and teachers were included in the study. Children in the intervention group received 45-minute Group Theraplay® sessions once a week for 10 weeks based on the four basic dimensions of Theraplay (structure, engagement nurture, challenge). In the control group, the usual classroom curriculum was continued. During the data collection process, children's anxiety levels were assessed with the Anxiety Scale for Preschool Children (parent and teacher forms) and their social-emotional well-being and psychological resilience levels were assessed with the PERİK Social-Emotional Well-Being and Psychological Resilience Scale (teacher form). The findings revealed that the children in the experimental group experienced a significant decrease in anxiety levels according to both parent and teacher assessments. The findings revealed that children in the experimental group experienced a significant decrease in anxiety levels according to both parent and teacher evaluations. Significant improvements were also observed in the sub-dimensions of psychological resilience in the experimental group in the areas of enjoyment of exploration, assertiveness and self-control. In the areas of social performance, task orientation and emotional stability, improvements were found in both experimental and control groups, but the difference between the groups was not statistically significant. Structured observations made during the intervention process showed an increase in positive behaviours and a decrease in negative behaviours. The fact that Group Theraplay can be implemented in the classroom environment with simple materials in the presence of a teacher and its structured relationship-based structure makes this method a feasible and effective model for school-based early intervention programmes.