CHILDREN WITH AGGRESSIVE SEXUAL BEHAVIOR:
TWO APPROACHES TO TREATMENT

Dynamic Play Therapy Children’s Group

Barbara L. Bonner, PhD
C. Eugene Walker, PhD
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center

General Guidelines:

Leaders

Leaders will initiate activities, participate in activities, set & maintain disciplinary limits as needed, and reflect & clarify member’s thoughts & feelings to facilitate their increased self-awareness and understanding. Leaders will take a supportive rather than central role, letting the group evolve spontaneously and encouraging members to focus primarily on themselves and each other.

Limits

Children will not be allowed to hurt themselves, hurt others, physically attack group leaders, or destroy group property. These limits won’t be spelled out beforehand, possibly enticing testing of them; instead they’ll be set as needed. First consequence will be Time Out in the room. Second consequence will be expulsion from group for a period of time. Parents will be informed in advance about how to deal with a child who’s sent out of group early.

Leaders will try to head off as many discipline problems as possible by seeping sessions varied, length of time for activities age-appropriate, and range of acceptable behaviors broad. Children will be encouraged to participate in activities but not forced, and as long as they’re not engaging in destructive behavior, leaders will try only to reflect for and support them.

Rewards

The one material reward children will receive is a daily sticker after helping with room clean-up.

Activities will aim at 1) helping members think and talk about certain subjects and/or 2) allowing members to start and finish projects, thus building self-confidence and self-esteem.

Free Play

Materials available will give members a variety of channels for expression, exploration & relating. Within room boundaries and using available materials, members may use free play time any way they wish. Leaders will interact with children, reflect from them, and set necessary limits as described above.

Quiz!