SAND THERAPY AS A MEANS OF REDUCING ANXIETY IN CHILDREN OF SENIOR PRESCHOOL AGE

Abstract

The article reveals the essence of the concept of «anxiety,» as well as analyzes the main factors of this phenomenon, the peculiarities of its course, describe the most common methods of psychological protection of children: aggressive behaviour and fantasizing.  The differences in anxious behavior of girls and boys of senior preschool age are highlighted and the consequences of fixing this feature are highlighted.  The problem of anxiety correction in a preschool age is actualized because in this period there is a risk of consolidating it as a personality trait.

 The article also describes an experimental study aimed at correcting the anxious behavior of older preschool children by sand therapy.  Certain data of the research sample are given, the methodical tools on which it was performed are considered, the quantitative and qualitative analysis of the received data is given, and results of the research are described - a comparison of results before conducting psychocorrection and after.  According to the analysis of the results of the study, it is stated that there are quantitative changes in the results before and after correction, which proves the effectiveness of the use of sand therapy techniques when working with this age group.  It turns out that the level of self-esteem, the peculiarities of the child-parent relationship and the psychological climate of the family are the main factors in the formation of anxious behavior of older preschool children.