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Inter-Brain Synchronization During Sandplay Therapy: Individual Analyses.

Michiko Akimoto1, Takuma Tanaka2, Junko Ito3

  • 1Faculty of Human Sciences, Toyo Eiwa University, Yokohama, Japan.

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|December 10, 2021
PubMed
Summary

This study explored the neural basis of therapeutic relationships during sandplay therapy. Client-therapist brain activity in the prefrontal cortex synchronized, suggesting a neural foundation for empathy in this non-verbal therapy.

Keywords:
NIRShyperscanningnonverbal psychotherapysandplay therapysocial interactionsynchronization

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychotherapy Research
  • Art Therapy

Background:

  • Therapeutic relationships are crucial in psychotherapy, yet their neural underpinnings, especially in non-verbal modalities, remain underexplored.
  • Sandplay therapy (ST) is a powerful art/play technique that fosters therapeutic alliances.
  • Understanding the neural basis of ST can illuminate the mechanisms of therapeutic change.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the neural correlates of therapeutic alliances during sandplay therapy.
  • To examine brain activity synchronization between clients and therapists during sandplay and interview sessions.
  • To explore the potential neural basis of empathy in sandplay therapy.

Main Methods:

  • Simultaneous, real-time measurement of prefrontal cortex (PFC) hemodynamics in client-therapist pairs using multichannel near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS).
  • Analysis of spatio-temporal signal patterns during sandplay and subsequent interview sessions.
  • Statistical correlation analysis of brain activity between homologous brain regions in pairs.

Main Results:

  • Significant correlations in spatio-temporal brain activity patterns were observed between homologous regions in client-therapist pairs.
  • During sandplay, correlations were prominent in the lateral PFC and frontopolar (FP) regions.
  • During the interview, significant correlations were found in the FP region.

Conclusions:

  • The observed neural synchronization suggests a potential "remote" synchronization mechanism underlying the therapeutic alliance in sandplay therapy.
  • These findings may represent the neural foundation of empathy, a common element in sandplay therapy.
  • This study provides novel insights into the neurobiology of non-verbal therapeutic interactions.