The Effect of Parent Group Sandplay Therapy on the Nepal Earthquake Survivors: Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms, Parenting Stress and Psychological Well-Being of Parents as well as Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms in Children*

Abstract

People who have experienced property damage and loss from the Nepal earthquake in 2015 are living in a temporary tent area. These earthquake survivors experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress and exhibit altered thoughts and behaviors. This study was conducted on parents who reside in the tent city at Chuchepati and who have children aged from 7 to 17. For the group sandplay therapy program, the Impact of Events Scale-Revised, Child Report of Post-traumatic Symptoms, and the Parent Report of Post-traumatic Symptoms were administered. There were 24 individuals who agreed to participate in this study and whose child received 19 or more points from child post-traumatic symptom reports, along with 16 or more points from parent post-traumatic symptom reports, and 33 points from the IES-R. The results of this study indicate that parent group sandplay therapy is effective in reducing the symptoms of post-traumatic stress and parenting stress, and also in enhancing the psychological well-being of parents.