Investigating Gestalt-based Play Therapy on Anxiety and Loneliness in Female Children Labour With Sexual Abuse: a Single Case Research Design (SCRD)

Background: Sexual abuse and harassment are among the major threats to labor children, especially girls, which can be associated with anxiety and loneliness. The current study aimed to investigate the effect of Gestalt play therapy on anxiety and loneliness in Afghan female labor children with sexual abuse histories. Methods: This was a Single Case Research Design (SCRD) study of the AB model. The statistical population of the study consisted of all 8-11-year-old sexually-abused Afghan children in Karaj City, Iran, in 2018. Three 8-11-year-old female labor children with a sexual abuse history supported by Imam Ali Society (AS) were selected using a random sampling method. The intervention was performed in ten 45-minute sessions for 3 months, and the follow-up phase was conducted one month after the treatment. The required data were collected using the Child Abuse Scale, Asher Loneliness Scale, and Spence Children's Anxiety Scale. Graphical analysis, recovery percentage, and reliable change index were used to analyze the collected data.  Results: The loneliness posttest scores improved, compared to the baseline values in the study participants. Their total recovery frequency was 0.56% in the loneliness, and the scores of reliable change index were >1.96 for all 3 study participants. In addition, the obtained results represented that this therapy decreased anxiety in these children and was clinically significant. Their total recovery frequency was equal to 0.57% in the loneliness, and the scores of reliable change index were >1.96 for all 3 study participants. Moreover, the follow-up test results indicated that the effects of intervention continued one month after the last session of play therapy.  Conclusion: Gestalt play therapy has effectively reduced loneliness and anxiety in sexually-abused children. Thus, this therapy could be used as a therapeutic intervention in health centers to improve the feeling of loneliness in labor children and reduce their stress and psychological problems.