No abstract

Theraplay is a useful and effective form of play therapy to improve social-emotional assets and resilience in children with hearing loss. Hence, this study examined the effect of Group Theraplay (GT) on the social-emotional assets and resilience in these children. The participants were selected from a rehabilitation center for mothers and children with hearing loss in Isfahan, Iran. The participants were 27 children with hearing loss who were selected by the convenient sampling method. They were randomly assigned into the intervention (n = 12) and control (n = 15) groups. The intervention group received 10 GT sessions, once a week for two and a half months, while the waitlist control group did not receive this intervention. Mothers of children completed the Social-Emotional Assets and Resilience Scale for Preschool two times, at pre-and post-tests. Results revealed that GT significantly influenced social competence, self-regulation, responsibility, and empathy in children with hearing loss. Therefore, participants who received GT showed a significant increase in those social-emotional assets and resilience. The findings highlight the importance of GT training for social-emotional assets and resilience in children with hearing loss. Limitations, suggestions, and implications for future research are discussed.