EFFECTIVENESS OF TELEPLAY THERAPY TO ENHANCE SOCIAL AND ADL SKILLS IN CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Keywords:
Occupational therapy, teleplay therapy, social skills, child development disorders, pervasive, cognitive skill, interpersonal relationshipsAbstract
Background of the study: Developmental disorders are a group of conditions interfering with developmental progress during developmental period. Such children lack specific skills; facing difficulty in coordinated movements, physical, cognition, learning, language, adaptive skills, and emotional disturbance This study aimed to explore potential advantages of group Teleplay Therapy in enhancing the social and activities of daily living (ADLs) and skills with developmental disorders amidst the COVID-19.
Methodology: The study was conducted online between August 2021, and March 2022, employing pre-post experimental design. A total of 22 children were recruited through convenience sampling. The participants underwent group Teleplay Therapy sessions using the Zoom Meeting. During sessions, live videos and pictures were shared through screen sharing to facilitate attentive participation. Sessions were conducted twice weekly, each lasting 45 minutes over seven months. Participants were evaluated using the Wee-FIM and Social Skills Checklist before and after the intervention.
Results: Paired sample t-tests revealed significant improvements in the participants' self-care abilities. Additionally, noticeable enhancements were observed in group skills and communication as per the social skills checklist.
Conclusion: Group Teleplay Therapy significantly benefits children with developmental disorders, enhancing social and ADL capabilities, also underscoring effectiveness of this intervention in aiding children with developmental disabilities.
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