An Empirical Study on the Healing Mechanism of Sandplay Therapy: The Mental Process Caused by Interaction with a Foreign Object

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K14442
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 10030:Clinical psychology-related
• Research Institution: Ibaraki University
• Principal Investigator: Chii Kazuya 茨城大学, 人文社会科学部, 講師 (10826811)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 箱庭療法による内的変容 / 異物のイメージ変容プロセス / 異物の受け入れがたさの低減

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to clarify the essence of the healing mechanism of sandplay therapy. The target of psychological changes caused by sandplay therapy was limited to negative images projected onto "An item that I find unacceptable at present", and analyzed the process of changes in image and unacceptability.
As a result of the statistical analysis, it was confirmed that sandplay increased the impression of "gentleness" of unacceptable items and reduced unacceptability. It was suggested that the process of these changes includes (1) building relationships with other items, (2) changing the creator's sense of mental distance by placing an unacceptable item alone in the sandplay, and (3) the influence of positive emotions felt by doing sandplay.

Free Research Field

臨床心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で得られた結果から、これまで実証的に確かめられてこなかった箱庭療法の治癒機制の主要な3つの要素を明確に示したことは学術的意義が高いといえる。また、この成果は、箱庭療法の効果的な活用法の指針を与えるものであるとともに、心理療法場面での箱庭表現とクライエントの内的世界の変化の繋がりをより理解しやすくなる知見を与えるものであり、心理的支援の実践に活かすことができる点で社会的意義も高いといえる。