The effectiveness of filial play therapy on the dimensions of emotion management and social competence, students with special learning disorders

play therapy training has a significant effect on their attitude toward children with learning disabilities; Because these children are facing major problems in their behavior and interaction with their parents. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of filial play therapy on the dimensions of emotion management and social competence of students with special learning disorders.

In a semi-experimental study, 30 students with special learning disabilities in the first and second grades of elementary school participated in the study in the academic year 2021-2022. First, the participants were selected by available sampling and then randomly assigned to two intervention groups and the control group. Both groups were pre-tested based on Zeman et al.'s emotional management skill questionnaires (2001), and the social competence of children by Cohen and Resman (1972), and the intervention group was exposed to the independent variable (filial play therapy) for 8 sessions of 90 minutes. Both groups were given a post-test and a follow-up was done one month later.

The average difference of all three dimensions of emotion management skill in two groups of filial play therapy and control is statistically significant at 0.01 level. Dimensions of inhibition (F = 12.73, h2 = 0.377, P = 0.001), disturbed expression (h2 = 0.203, P = 0.001, F = 5.36) and coping (h2=0/303, P=0.001, F=9.14) emotion management skill is significant. Inclination/withdrawal component (Wilks lambda = 0.519, h2 = 0.279, P = 0.001, F = 7.94), cooperation/opposition component (Wilks lambda = 0.508, h2 = 0.327, P = 0.001, F = 8.27) and  The total score of social competence (Wilks lambda = 0.392, h2= 0.374, P = 0.001, F = 12.22) is significant.

play therapy training improved emotion management, social competence, and dimensions of parent-child relationships and children's behavioral problems; Therefore, it is important to plan for the use of affiliate play therapy training for children with learning disabilities.