Living in the Shadow of a Sibling with Disabilities: Experiential Play Therapy from the Perspective of Parents

Year 2024, Volume: 14 Issue: 2, 475 - 500, 30.07.2024

Bahtiyar Eraslan Çapan Gamze Ülker Tümlü Elif Çimşir Ayşen Balkaya Çetin Cem Tümlü Zerrin Bölükbaşı Macit Hülya Üstekidağ

https://doi.org/10.18039/ajesi.1395870

Abstract

Based on the perceptions of parents, this study aimed to investigate the impact of experiential play therapy on the growth and development of children aged 4-10 years who have siblings with disabilities. A phenomenological design was used to examine parents' views in depth, following the completion of an experiential play therapy process ranging from 8 to 24 sessions carried out with 6 children with siblings with Down Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and/or Developmental Disability. Individual interviews were conducted with the parents at the end of the play therapy process, which were analyzed using inductive analysis. The results revealed 15 sub-themes grouped under four main themes, which are the reason for bringing the child to play therapy, the change and development experienced by the child, factors helping the facilitation of the play therapy process, and hindrances to the play therapy process. The reasons for bringing the child to play therapy included parents’ expectations of regulating the child's relations with the sibling with the disability, addressing behavioral problems, improving peer relations, providing emotional support, and keeping the child occupied. In the context of the change and development experienced by the child, family relationships and peer relationships were strengthened and the play therapy process supported the child to overcome behavioral problems. Finally, the findings of the study showed that there are certain factors that facilitate or complicate the play therapy process. While adequate social support within the family, the systematicity of the play therapy process, and some contextual factors facilitated the process, inadequate social support, some factors within the family, inadequate structuring of the play therapy process, and some contextual factors made the process difficult. The results showed that experiential play therapy supported the change and development of children with siblings with disabilities and that this positive effect was reflected in the relationships with the sibling with disabilities, other family members, and the social environment.

Keywords

Siblings of children with disabilities, experiential play therapy, play therapy, phenomenological design

Engelli Kardeşinin Gölgesinde Yaşamak: Ebeveynlerin Gözünden Deneyimsel Oyun Terapisi Sürecinin Değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

Bu araştırmada, engelli kardeşi olan 4-10 yaş arası çocuklarla gerçekleştirilen deneyimsel oyun terapisinin çocukların değişim ve gelişim sürecine yansımalarının ebeveynlerin algısına dayalı ortaya konulmasını amaçlamıştır. Ebeveynlerin görüşlerini derinlemesine incelemeye yönelik olarak fenomenolojik desenin kullanıldığı araştırma kapsamında, Down Sendromu, Otizim Spektrum Bozukluğu ve/veya Gelişimsel Geriliği bulunan engelli kardeşe sahip 6 çocukla, 8 ile 24 oturum arasında değişen deneyimsel oyun terapi süreci gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırma verileri oyun terapisi sürecinin sonunda her bir çocuğun ebeveyni ile yapılan bireysel görüşmelere dayalıdır. Verilerin analizinde tümevarım analizinden yararlanılmıştır. Araştırma sonuçlarına göre çocuğun oyun terapisine getirilme gerekçesi, çocuğun yaşadığı değişim ve gelişim, oyun terapi sürecini kolaylaştıran durumlar, oyun terapi sürecini zorlaştıran durumlar olmak üzere dört ana temaya ve bu temalara bağlı 15 alt temaya ulaşılmıştır. Sonuçlar çocuğun oyun terapisine getirilme gerekçesi kapsamında ebeveynlerin çocuğun engelli kardeşiyle ilişkilerini düzenleme, davranış problemlerinin üstesinden gelme, akran ilişkilerini düzenleme, duygusal rahatlamayı destekleme ve çocuk için bir meşguliyet oluşturma beklentilerinde olduğunu göstermiştir. Bulgular çocuğun yaşadığı değişim ve gelişim bağlamında aile içi ilişkiler ile akran ilişkilerinin güçlendiğini ve oyun terapi sürecinin çocuğun davranış problemlerinin üstesinden gelmesini desteklediğini ortaya koymuştur. Son olarak araştırma bulguları aile içinde yeterli sosyal desteğin, oyun terapisi sürecinin sistematikliğinin ve birtakım bağlamsal faktörlerin oyun terapi sürecini kolaylaştırdığını ortaya koyarken, yetersiz sosyal desteğin, aile içi bazı faktörlerin, oyun terapi sürecinin yetersiz yapılandırılmasının ve bazı bağlamsal faktörlerin ise oyun terapi sürecini zorlaştırdığı göstermiştir. Araştırma sonuçları deneyimsel oyun terapisinin engelli kardeşi olan çocukların değişimini ve gelişimini desteklediğini, bu olumlu etkinin engelli kardeşle, diğer aile üyeleriyle ve sosyal çevreyle ilişkilere yansımalarının olduğunu göstermiştir.

Keywords

Engelli kardeşi olan çocuk, deneyimsel oyun terapisi, oyun terapisi, fenomenolojik desen

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