They Lead, You Follow: Role of Non-Directive Play Therapy in Building Resilience
2016; Volume: 11; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
0976-3937
Autores Tópico(s)Resilience and Mental Health
ResumoChildren's play is not mere sport. It is full of meaning and import.- F. FroebelINTRODUCTIONThe phase of growing up from a toddler to an adolescent is important for the child for a healthy progress through the developmental milestones. Not only does the child undergoes physical changes, a holistic development of the child entails intellectual, social, and personality development, subjected to countless influences. Inherently, the child is affected by their genetic composition that is predisposed to the various environmental influences (Papalia & Olds, 1993).Stressful events are a part of every child's world, be it divorce or death of a parent(s), hospitalization, natural calamities, homelessness, financial crises, academic pressure etc. resulting in either children shouldering the responsibilities of the parents or the deal with these stressful situations amidst the problems of childhood. If healthy development of the child is thwarted by people expected to advance it, the children may be subjected physical or psychological maladjustment thereby impeding their growth.Understanding Resilience in ChildhoodMasten, Cutulli, Herbers and Reed (2009) illustrate the process of resilience as a ....pattern of positive adaptation in the context of significant adversity or risk. According to Block and Block (1980) psychological resilience has been regarded as the ability to bounce back from adverse situations and adaptability to the demanding and stressful situations.Luther (2003) explains the process of resilience as being an interrelation between the risk factors and the protective factors resulting from the response of an individual towards vulnerabilities of a situation. Research suggests and emphasizes protective factors as one of the fundamental reasons why only few children in adverse conditions in spite of the presence of such factors manifest behavioural and psychological issues (Rutter, 1987). However, Rutter (1987) also describes other circumstances in which protective factors enhance the ability of the individual to effectively handle the problem and the stressors, thereby exerting its efficacy in stressful situations or acting as a shock-absorber against the hurdles of the child's growth and development.The Salutogenic model by Antonovsky (1987, 1996) also brings forth the relationship between health, stress and coping. This theoretical perspective adopts the viewpoint that enhancement of protective factors that may act as resources useful in building resilience and dealing with the stressors of adverse situations effectively. Moreover, the competence of the child and the functioning of the child in a healthy fashion across the major domains of their life can foster resilience and promote the establishment and strengthen the protective factors within the individual and the environment. Likewise, from the lens of positive developmental psychology, competence has been identified as an important resource that helps in negotiating with age-salient challenges and adversity and achievement of positive outcomes (Waters & Sroufe, 1983). Assets on the other hand, are resources that enhance the possibilities of positive outcomes, either by the use of resources within the person or the environment (Linley & Joseph, 2004). However, assets and protective factors have been compared to be different with regard to adverse conditions. During adverse conditions, if certain environmental or innate resources facilitate the likelihood of positive outcomes, it may not be necessary that the same resources in a different situation would foster positive development (Baldwin, Baldwin, & Cole, 1990). Research has suggested that characteristics of the child, family and the community act as protective factors for children in the face of adversity (Garmezy, Masten, & Tellegen, 1984; Anthony & Cohler, 1987; Rolf, Masten, Cicchetti, Neuchterlein, & Weintraub, 1990). From an ecological perspective with regard to Bronfenbrenner's ecological model, resilience has been found to be influenced by the social context to the extent that it affects the wellbeing of the child and the value of their interpersonal relationships (McLoyd, 1998; Bronfenbrenner, 1979, 1989). …
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