Background and Purpose: Considering the importance of interpersonal interactions in the social development of childhood, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of child-centered play therapy on self-efficacy in peer relations among students with oppositional defiant disorder symptoms.
Method: The research method was a semi-experimental design with a pre-test post-test design with control group. The statistical population included all children aged 8 to 12 years with oppositional defiant disorder symptoms that referring to psychiatric and psychological centers of Rasht in the first six months of 2017, among which 30 children were selected through convenient sampling entry, and assigned into two experimental and control groups randomly. To collect data, the scale of rating oppositional defiant disorder symptoms (Homerson & et al, 2006), structured clinical interview (American Psychiatric Association, 2013), and Self-Efficacy in Peer Relations (Wheeler & Led, 1982) were used. Child-centered play therapy intervention was provided to the experimental group in 10 sessions of 60 minutes with intervals of 3 days between sessions, while the control group received no training.
Results: The results of one-way covariance analysis showed that child-centered play therapy improves the self-efficacy of children with oppositional defiant disorder symptoms in the overall level and in conflict situations in the interpersonal interactions.
Conclusion: Play therapy in a manner consistent with the level of children's development, objectively and tangibly provides them skill learning experience, and this practical exercise directly and indirectly leads to improved self-efficacy in interactive interactions in children.