Play therapy and race conflict in young children.

Abstract

Play therapy offers a means of studying and perhaps of relieving race conflict. Therapeutic play sessions were held once a week for groups of 4 children who were either withdrawn or aggressively antisocial. The presence of a Negro girl and a Jewish boy in 2 groups led to several flare-ups of race prejudice at times of frustration. Records of 5 sessions show how the children, in this permissive atmosphere, expressed their feelings with increased frankness, observed the unpleasant results, and accepted responsibility for their attitudes. In some cases the therapist helped to ease tension, but the children soon learned to respect one another and to avoid the race and color distinction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)