Effects of sandplay in psychological therapy for children with autism spectrum disorder

Objective To study the therapeutic effects of sandplay to solve psychological problems in the children with autism spectrum disorder.Methods A total of 24 children (PEP-3 Ability level ≥ 24 months) aged 4 to 6 with autism spectrum disorders were randomly divided into the experimental group (n=10) and the control group (n=10). The experimental group underwent a 24-week sandplay treatment and simultaneously accepted the routine rehabilitation training. While the control group only accepted the routine rehabilitation treatment. The Conners Parent Symptom Questionnaire (PSQ) and autism treatment evaluation check list (ATEC) were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the two groups of children.Results After the sandplay treatment, PSQ scores showed that children's behavioral problems, learning problems, impulsivity and hyperactivity, anxiety, and hyperactivity index scores in the experimental group were obviously lower than before the treatment (P< 0.05), and also lower than in the control group after the treatment (P< 0.05). After the sandplay treatment, ATEC scale scores showed that two secondary scales scores about social interaction and sense/awareness/awareness and the total scores in the experimental group were obviously lower than before the treatment (P<0.05), and also lower than in the control group after the treatment (P< 0.05).Conclusion Sandplay could effectively apply to solve the psychological problems in the children with autism spectrum disorder. It exerts positive effects for psychological rehabilitation of the children with autism spectrum disorder.