Effectiveness of Short-term Play Therapy in Reducing Emotional, Behavioral and Social Symptoms on Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is one of the most common problems in children and adolescents. The behavior of these children is complex and controversial. This disorder can ruin person's life. The social costs of this disorder are also very high. Therefore, timely action is necessary for the behavior of these patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of short-term play therapy on reducing emotional, behavioral and social symptoms in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. For this purpose, in a single-subject study using a single-line method, six children aged 7 to 10 years who had symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder were selected by convenience sampling method. Short-term play therapy was performed for 10 sessions with participants. Subjects were examined for behavioral problems in the intervention process and follow-up stage. Data were analyzed by within- condition and between-condition. The results showed that short-term play therapy is effective in reducing emotional, behavioral and social symptoms in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Therefore, short-term play therapy can be used as an appropriate intervention to reduce emotional, behavioral, and social symptoms in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.