The Effectiveness of Active Play Therapy on Socialization and Approval-Seeking in Children with High Potential in the Zone of Proximal Development
Keywords:
Active play therapy, socialization, approval-seeking, children, high potential in the zone of proximal developmentAbstract
Objective: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of active play therapy on socialization and approval-seeking behaviors in children with high potential in the zone of proximal development.
Methods and Materials: This quasi-experimental study followed a pre-test/post-test control group design. The statistical population consisted of high-potential children within the zone of proximal development in Tehran (2024), who were enrolled at the Kian Creative Thinking Institute. Sixteen participants were selected using purposive sampling and randomly assigned to experimental (n = 8) and control (n = 8) groups. The experimental group received ten 90-minute sessions of active play therapy; after attrition, seven completed the sessions. One participant from the control group was randomly removed to match group sizes. Assessment instruments included the Sibling Questionnaire, Malhotra Temperament Scale (MTS), and the Child Approval Seeking Test (CAST). Data were analyzed using multivariate and univariate covariance analysis (MANCOVA and ANCOVA).
Findings: Results demonstrated that active play therapy significantly improved socialization and reduced approval-seeking in the experimental group compared to the control group. ANCOVA results showed statistically significant differences post-intervention for both variables (p < 0.01), with medium to large effect sizes (η² = 0.52 for companionship, 0.58 for socialization, and 0.74 for approval-seeking). Tests of normality and homogeneity (Kolmogorov-Smirnov, M.Box, and Levene's test) confirmed appropriate statistical assumptions.
Conclusion: Active play therapy proves to be an effective intervention for enhancing social skills and reducing dependency on external approval in high-potential children within the zone of proximal development, making it a valuable tool for therapeutic use in early developmental contexts.
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