تأثیر بازی‌درمانی بر شادکامی و امید به زندگی در کودکان مبتلا به اختلال یادگیری

زهرا  هداوند میرزائی; مهسا  رحیمی; نازنین زهرا  روستایی; اسما فولادی

Authors

Zahra Hadavand Mirzaei Department of Psychology, CT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0000-4766-2536
Mahsa Rahimi Department of Clinical Psychology, TaMS.C., Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0358-2662
Nazanin Zahra Rostayi Department of Psychology, Ta.C., Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9597-8583
Asma Fooladi Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Tabaran Institute of Higher Education, Mashhad, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0384-3754

Keywords:

children, learning disorder, hope, Play therapy, happiness

Abstract

Objective: The present study aimed to determine the effect of play therapy on happiness and hope in children with learning disorders.

Methods and Materials: This applied study employed a quasi-experimental pretest, posttest, and one-month follow-up design with an experimental group and a control group. The statistical population consisted of children with learning disorders attending specialized learning-disorder centers in Tehran during the 2025–2026 academic year. Thirty eligible children aged 8 to 12 years were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group, with 15 participants in each group. The experimental group received 10 group play-therapy sessions, each lasting 60 minutes and held twice weekly, whereas the control group received no psychological intervention. Data were collected using the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire and Snyder’s Children’s Hope Scale. The data were analyzed using mixed analysis of variance with repeated measures and Bonferroni post hoc comparisons.

Findings: The interaction effect of time and group on happiness was statistically significant, F = 67.82, p < 0.001, partial eta squared = 0.708. The interaction effect of time and group on hope was also statistically significant, F = 64.14, p < 0.001, partial eta squared = 0.696. Bonferroni pairwise comparisons indicated that happiness and hope scores in the experimental group increased significantly from pretest to posttest and from pretest to follow-up. However, the differences between posttest and follow-up scores were not statistically significant, indicating that the intervention effects were maintained during the follow-up period.

Conclusion: Play therapy can be considered an effective intervention for improving happiness and hope in children with learning disorders, and its beneficial effects may remain stable for at least one month after the completion of treatment.

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