The Effect of Play Therapy with Cognitive Behavioral Approach on Reducing Oppositional Defiant Disorder Symptoms in Children Aged 8 to 11 Years

Children with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), show negative, hostile, and disobedient behavior patterns that lead to important family or educational problems. Most children, experience a period of mild negativity and disobedience, and often parents are tired of occasional argumnet with their children. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of play therapy on oppositional defiant disorder symptom in children.
This study is an interventional and quasi-experimental. In this study, the sample size was determined based on similar studies and Morgan table and 15 subjects were selected in the experimental group (7 girls and 8 boys) and 15 subjects in the control group (9 boys and 6 girls). Measurement tools include the Child Behavior Checklist CBCL, TRF Teacher Report Form and a clinical interview with parents.. Those children who scored higher score (equal to or higher than 4) ewre selected. Parents were invited to participate in a half-hour clinical interview by the researcher for the final diagnosis. They were interviewed based on the diagnostic criteria in the DSM-5 without children in order to match the questionnaire results with the interview..
The results of the analysis showed that the symptom was significantly reduced by parents and teacher reports.. Therefore, play therapy with a cognitive-behavioral approach significantly reduced the rate of oppositional defiant disorder symptoms in boys and girls in post-test and follow-up stages.
These findings show the effectiveness of play therapy to reduce the oppositional defiant disorder symptoms in children ; therefore, the use of this treatment in these child is recommended to therapists .