| Symbols and Themes in Sandplay Therapy for Korean-Chinese Adolescent from Broken Families in China |
| Yeo Reum Lee1, Yu Sun Chun2 |
1Play therapist, Areum Children and Adolescent Counseling Center
2Adolescent psychology counselor, Yanji city, Jilin province, China |
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Received: April 30, 2017 Revised: June 6, 2017 Accepted: June 10, 2017 |
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| Abstract |
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The purpose of this study was to find the themes and symbols expressed in sandplay therapy by Korean-Chinese adolescents from broken families in China. This study was conducted with Korean-Chinese residents of Yanbian Prefecture in northeastern China. The subjects of this study were adolescents in broken families who did not live with their mother, father, or both parents for various reasons. Sandplay therapy consisted of eight sessions over one month. The subjects underwent 45 minutes of therapy in each session. With the agreement of the subjects and their guardians, the sandplay therapy process was photographed. Meaningful contents were noted in the sand scenes and abstract research themes were narrowed down. As a result, the observed contents were materialized and the common themes found in adolescents were categorized. To ensure the validity of this study, triangulation and peer debriefing were applied. A case-by-case analysis procedure was adopted. It was found that there were four common themes expressed, namely a ‘sense of distance’, ‘wounded’, ‘hope’, and ‘newness’. This study afforded insights into the psychological difficulties and characteristics of adolescents from broken families as well as providing them with an opportunity for understanding and healing themselves. |
| KeyWords:
Korean-Chinese adolescents, broken families, sandplay therapy, symbols and themes |
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