Abstract
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the disorders that causes many problems for children. Numerous treatments have been suggested to improve this disorder, but this is so important to use non-pharmacological treatments that have no side effects. In this study, the effectiveness of theater therapy on aggression in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was investigated. A quasi-experimental design of pre-test-post-test with control group and follow-up test was used. The statistical population included all children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in Rafsanjan City, which 16 children were selected by using available sampling method and were randomly dividedin experimental and control groups. The experimental group participated in theater therapy group sessions, while the control group received no intervention. Data gathered by using Shahim Elementary School Aggression Questionnaire, at three phases: pre-test, post-test and follow-up. Analysis of variance with repeated measurment was used to analyze the data. The results showed that the aggression of the experimental group had decreased compared to the control group after the intervention and also after one month (follow-up stage). Therefore, it can be concluded that theater therapy reduces the rate of aggression in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Keywords: Aggression, Attention Deficit, Hyperactivity, Dramatherapy.
 
 
Extended Abstract

Introduction

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is defined by damage in the levels of inattention, disorganization, or hyperactivity-impulsivity, which causes serious problems at home, school, and the child's social functions.
This disorder causes aggressive and impulsive behaviors and makes the person's social functions difficult. Therefore, aggression as one of the coexistence problems in this disorder has always been the focus of researchers.
Theater therapy is usually used in various fields of interventions related to improving children's mental health and is recognized as a useful treatment method.
Research Question(s)
This research aims to answer the question of whether theater therapy has an effect on the level of aggression of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Literature Review

A research study has investigated passive and active aggression in children with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and negative emotional disability and has reached the conclusion that people who are apparently emotionally unstable become more aggressive over time. (Slaughter et al, 2020)
In another research, it was concluded that theater therapy has increased social skills and reduced aggression in working children. (Rasekhinejhad and Khodabakhshi, 2019)

Methodology

The current research method is a pretest-posttest study with a control group and a follow-up test. The statistical population included all seven-to-twelve-year-old students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in Rafsanjan city and considering that theater therapy is usually performed in small groups of five to eight people, the number of 16 people whose attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was diagnosed by referring to medical history and clinical interview and their score in the attention deficit hyperactivity test of Swanson et al (1980) was higher than the average (36) and those who were willing to cooperate were selected as sample members using the available sampling method and were randomly placed in two groups of 8 people, experimental and control.

Results

According to the statistical results, it can be stated that the intervention based on theater therapy is effective in reducing the aggression of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (P<0.05).
Table 1. The results of Ben Feroni's post hoc test to compare the three stages of pre-test, post-test, and follow-up in experimental and control groups




Group
 


Pre-test stage and post-test


 


Pre-test stage and
Follow up


 


Post-test stage and
Follow up


 




Difference In
averages


statistical significance


Difference In
averages


Statistical significance


Difference In
averages


statistical significance






examine control
 
 


11/875


0/001


11/500


 


0/001


-0/375


0/442




0/000


1/000


0/250


 


0/516


0/250


0/598



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



^* As can be seen in the table, the difference between the pre-test and post-test stages, as well as between pre-test and follow-up in the experimental (theatre therapy) group is significant (P<0.001), but in the control group, these differences are not significant (P>0.05). Also, the difference between post-test and follow-up is not significant in any of the groups (P>0.05).
Figure 1. Aggression variable changes by group in three stages
 

Discussion

This research was conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness of theater therapy on the level of aggression of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The results of the analysis of variance with repeated measurements indicated that the difference between the mean aggression scores in the post-test stage after controlling the pre-test scores in the two experimental and control groups is significant.

Conclusion

Based on this research and previous similar studies, it was concluded that with the use of theater therapy techniques, due to the greater involvement of the child's attention and the possibility of better learning concepts in the form of group games, we can see a reduction in the level of aggression in children with Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Acknowledgments (Times New Roman 12 bold)
In the end, we are grateful to all those who helped the authors in the implementation and compilation of this article.