Comparing the Effectiveness of Gestalt Approach-Based Play Therapy and Parental Play Therapy on Assertiveness in Second-Period Elementary School Female Students

Abstract

Introduction and Aim: Assertiveness is one of the characteristics that needs to be investigated in students and can be improved with play therapy. Therefore, the aim of this study was comparing the effectiveness of Gestalt approach-based play therapy and parental play therapy on assertiveness in second-period elementary female students.

Methodology: The present study was a quasi-experimental with a pre-test, post-test, and two-month follow-up design with a control group. The research population was all second-period elementary female students in Tehran's District 8 in the 2024-5 academic years. The sample size of this study was 45 people who were selected using available sampling method and randomly assigned into three equal groups. Each of the experimental groups underwent 10 sessions of intervention with Gestalt approach-based play therapy and parental play therapy, and the control group remained on the waiting list for intervention. The data of the present study were collected with the Assertiveness Inventory (Gambrill & Richey, 1975) and analyzed by analysis of variance with repeated measures and Bonferroni post hoc test in SPSS-28 software.

Findings: The results of the present research showed that both Gestalt approach-based play therapy and parental play therapy increased assertiveness of second-period elementary female students, and the results remained at the follow-up stage (P<0.001). Also, the effectiveness of Gestalt approach-based play therapy in compared to parental play therapy more increased their assertiveness (P<0.05).

Conclusion: According to the results of the present study, counselors and therapists can use both method of Gestalt approach-based play therapy and parental play therapy, especially the method of Gestalt approach-based play therapy to increase assertiveness of students.