Document Type : Original Articles

Authors

• Bayan Nesai Moghadam ¹
• Mokhtar Malekpour ²
• Ahmad Abedi ³
• Zahed Mafakheri ⁴

¹ MSc Student in Psychology of Exceptional Children, Student Research Committee, School of Education and Psychology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

² Professor, Department of Psychology of Exceptional Children, School of Education and Psychology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

³ Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, School of Education and Psychology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

⁴ BSc Student, Student Research Committee, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Introduction: Children need to play. It is through play that they learn to develop creative thinking and to express themselves. One of the most popular and favorite fun in children is play with sand might provide growth and development. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of sand play therapy on visuo-motor perception development in children with educable mental retardation in Isfahan city, Iran.Materials and Methods: The study design was tentative (pre-post test with control group). The statistical population of this study included all children with educable mentally disability in preschool and children in year 1, 2 and 3 in city of Isfahan. The sample included 32 children (16 boys, 16 girls, and age range 7-12 years) who were randomly selected from one dual-shift school. Then they were randomly assigned in to 2 equal groups: the experimental and control groups. The material used in this study was: Kay cognitive diagnostic test. All participants in experimental group received intervention that was ten 45-minute sessions sand therapy. Individuals in control group did not receive any intervention. Data were analyzed using SPSS, version 16.Results: Statistically significant differences were observed in visuo-motor perception improvement in children with educable mental retardation using sand play therapy (P < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in mean score of visuo-motor perception development between boys and girls (P > 0.05).Conclusion: Play appears to have important positive effects on a child’s ability to learn especially in subjects with mental retardation. Our results also showed that sand play therapy can significantly increase the visuo-motor perception development in educable mental retardation children.Keywords: Sand play therapy, Visuo-motor perception development, Educable mental retardation children