A Touch of Play

Marília T De A Gomes Gurgel,Márcia Oliveira Moraes

doi:10.4236/psych.2014.57071

Abstract

The present paper presents data from an intervention-research, which is also a therapeutic experience, accomplished with a group of disabled children accompanied by the adults who take care of them, in an institution specialised in rehabilitation, located in Niteroi/RJ, Brazil. The research departed from an interrogation about the possibilities opened up by a device, the Play Workshop, toward the interaction between the children and children and adults, away from the diagnostic categories attributed to the children. Based on authors such as Despret, Martins and others, the paper discusses the limits and reach of the notion of disability and points out that play is a creation and bond strengthening space between the children and between them and adults. Due to its inter-relational character, playing allowed the arousal of a welcoming field to the emotions involved. This way we stimulated participants’ self-knowledge about their actions, experiences and own bodies.

Highlights

The present paper presents data extracted from an intervention-research, which is a therapeutic experience, with a group formed by disabled children and the adults that accompanied them at a rehabilitation institution, located in Niterói/RJ-Brazil1
FIRST PHASE: mothers and grandmothers talked about problems related to the children’s behaviour during the workshop
Despite play having been proposed to the adults, during this phase all took advantage of the fact that they had a psychologist researcher, to clear out doubts and share problems and difficulties, besides showing disinterest and lack of experience in playing

Summary

Introduction

The present paper presents data extracted from an intervention-research, which is a therapeutic experience, with a group formed by disabled children and the adults that accompanied them at a rehabilitation institution, located in Niterói/RJ-Brazil. We chose the referred institution, that aids disabled children, for two general reasons and one specific reason. By the general idea that disabled children need special protection and even, that children in general do not have an active participation in society. How to cite this paper: Gurgel, M.

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