Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Clinical Psychiatry
• Behavioral Therapy

Background:

• Conduct Disorder (CD) presents significant behavioral challenges in children.
• Effective, non-pharmacological interventions for CD are crucial for improving child well-being.
• Experiential play therapy offers a novel approach to address these challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of experiential play therapy in reducing behavioral problems in children diagnosed with Conduct Disorder (CD).
• To assess changes in specific behavioral symptoms, including hyperactivity and lethargy, using the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC).

Main Methods:

• A prospective clinical trial involving 20 children (aged 7-12) diagnosed with CD.
• Eight weekly 45-minute sessions of experiential play therapy focused on emotional expression and social skills.
• The Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) was administered pre-therapy, mid-therapy, and post-therapy.

Main Results:

• Significant reductions in hyperactivity (p < 0.001) and lethargy (p < 0.001) were observed.
• Overall Aberrant Behavior Checklist scores decreased markedly (p < 0.001), indicating substantial clinical improvement.
• Children from separated parents showed higher baseline hyperactivity and total scores, but this difference diminished post-therapy.

Conclusions:

• Experiential play therapy is effective in managing conduct-related behavioral problems in children with CD during the intervention period.
• The therapy demonstrates observable benefits in both early and later sessions.
• Further research is recommended to explore long-term outcomes and integrated therapeutic approaches.