Intervention of Medical (Therapeutic) Clowns in a Kindergarten for Children with Intellectual Disability: A Case Study

Abstract

ABSTRACTIn recent years, there is growing evidence for the efficacy of medical clowning as a para-medical profession. In the present study, we explored the possibility of expanding the work of medical clowns into the special education system, hypothesising that medical clowns can contribute to the development of socio-emotional abilities of children with intellectual disability (ID). Two medical clowns worked with 50 children in a kindergarten cluster for children aged 3–7 with ID for 6 months. All clowning sessions were videotaped and coded using the Test of Playfulness (ToP) observation instrument. Parents and the clowns were interviewed about the children’s participation. This preliminary report presents a case study of one of the children who participated in the study. The level of playfulness after the intervention increased compared to the baseline, including social skills, use of humour and pretend play, flexibility and engagement. The mother’s interview indicates the unique gains of the clown’s intervention. The preliminary results point to the importance of clowning and free-play for children with ID, and expand the possibilities for interacting with children with ID to enhance their socio-emotional abilities.