Abstract

Cognitive-behavioral play therapy is a method that has emerged from the integration of behavioral and cognitive techniques and recognizes play as the principle of treatment. According to Nel, a series of organized and purposeful activities follow one another in cognitive-behavioral play therapy, and at the same time, the child is allowed to act in an uncoordinated, autonomous, and spontaneous manner. In cognitive-behavioral play therapy, the therapeutic method is short-term, guided, and problem-focused. Story therapy is also not a therapeutic technique; what is assumed in story therapy is that changing the language and literature of life stories creates a new opportunity for new behavior and relationships with others. The purpose of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral play therapy and story therapy on empathy and assertiveness in elementary school students. The present study was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design with two experimental groups and a control group. The statistical population included all second-year primary school boys in Kamyaran city in 1401-1402. Using Sampling available method, 2 schools and one class from each school were selected as a sample and 45 people were randomly assigned to two experimental groups (cognitive behavioral play therapy = 15 people) and (story therapy = 15 people) and a control group (15 people). For the first experimental group, cognitive behavioral play therapy sessions were held for 10 sessions and for the second experimental group, story therapy sessions were held for 11 sessions weekly and in groups, and the control group did not receive any intervention. The study inclusion criteria were: age range 9-11 years, willingness to participate in educational courses. The exclusion criteria for the study included unwillingness to continue the sessions and inability to tolerate educational conditions, and simultaneous participation in similar educational and psychological courses. Information related to the aforementioned criteria was obtained from the samples in the form of self-report. Descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and inferential (Lewin test and analysis of covariance) methods were used to analyze the statistical data. SPSS 22 software was used for this purpose. The research tools were the Jolliffe and Farrington Empathy Scale (2006) and the Gambrill and Ritchie Assertiveness Questionnaire (1975). The results showed that the difference in the mean of assertiveness in the post-test and in the two groups of story therapy and cognitive-emotional play was not significant at the 0.60 level, meaning that there was no significant difference in assertiveness skills between these two groups and the assertiveness skills of the two groups were at the same level in the post-test. But there is a significant difference between the courage scores of the control group and the two story therapy and cognitive-emotional game groups. This means that the scores of the control group are different from the other two groups and are not at the same level. According to the comparison of the groups' means in the courage skill in the pre- and post-test, the post-test mean of the story therapy group is 118; the cognitive-emotional game group is 119.07 and the control group is 13.90. The control group's mean is lower than the other two groups, which confirms the effect of story therapy and cognitive-emotional game on the students' courage skill. Also, the difference in the mean of empathy in the post-test and in the two story therapy and cognitive-emotional game groups is not significant at the level of 0.51, which means that there is no significant difference found between these two groups in the empathy skill and the empathy skill of the two groups in the post-test is at the same level. But there is a significant difference between the empathy scores of the control group and the two story therapy and cognitive-emotional game groups. This means that the scores of the control group are different from the other two groups and are not at the same level. According to the comparison of the groups' averages in empathy skills in the pre- and post-test, the post-test average of the story therapy group is 27.62; the cognitive-emotional game group is 20.60, and the control group is 36. The average of the control group is lower than the other two groups, which confirms the effect of story therapy and cognitive-emotional game on students' empathy skills. As a result, it can be stated that cognitive-behavioral play is effective in resolving children's behavioral and psychological problems, in which the therapist uses play to communicate with the child and, by helping with emotional release, helps the child solve problems in normal life. This treatment is derived from cognitive-behavioral therapy for adults, which is specific to preschool and elementary school children. The theoretical framework of this treatment is based on the cognitive model of emotional disorders and the interaction of cognition, emotions, and behavior. The child's chaotic behavior is a sign of irrational thinking, and the treatment emphasizes cognitive change. Interventions emphasize helping the child to classify their thoughts, which must be adapted to their situation, rather than forcing the child to think like an adult, which in turn promotes their assertiveness. The therapist can also teach the child new skills, encourage the child, and at the same time focus on the child's thoughts, feelings, fantasies, and environment, and use adaptive strategies. It uses behavioral techniques, systematic desensitization, dependency management, self-reliance, and activity planning. Cognitive techniques include thought recording, cognitive change strategies, and confrontational inner speech, and modeling, role-playing, and dependency techniques are also used, and these generally lead to the promotion of empathy in them. Despite the practical results obtained from this study, like any other study, it has faced limitations such as: lack of control over the nutritional conditions of the subjects, lack of control over the psychological conditions of the subjects, lack of implementation of follow-up periods, and its limitation to the knowledge of elementary school boys in Kamyaran. Therefore, it is suggested that a long-term follow-up period be implemented in future studies. It should also be conducted on the community of girls in other educational levels and the psychological and nutritional status of the children should be controlled. Given the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral play therapy on children's empathy and assertiveness, it can be suggested that this treatment method be used in schools, kindergartens, and child counseling and psychology centers to improve children's skills. It is also suggested to educators and counselors to use the story therapy method to teach children assertiveness skills.