Arts in Psychotherapy
Volume 34, Issue 2, 2007, Pages 99-113

Immigrant and refugee preschoolers' sandplay representations of the tsunami (Article)

Lacroix L.* , Rousseau C. , Gauthier M.-F. , Singh A. , Giguère N. , Lemzoudi Y.
  • a Department of Creative Arts Therapies, Concordia University, Montréal, Que., Canada, Department of Transcultural Psychiatry, Montreal Children's Hospital, Canada
  • b Department of Creative Arts Therapies, Concordia University, Montréal, Que., Canada, Department of Transcultural Psychiatry, Montreal Children's Hospital, Canada
  • c Department of Creative Arts Therapies, Concordia University, Montréal, Que., Canada, Department of Transcultural Psychiatry, Montreal Children's Hospital, Canada
  • d Department of Creative Arts Therapies, Concordia University, Montréal, Que., Canada, Department of Transcultural Psychiatry, Montreal Children's Hospital, Canada
  • e Department of Creative Arts Therapies, Concordia University, Montréal, Que., Canada, Department of Transcultural Psychiatry, Montreal Children's Hospital, Canada
  • f Department of Creative Arts Therapies, Concordia University, Montréal, Que., Canada, Department of Transcultural Psychiatry, Montreal Children's Hospital, Canada

Abstract

Extensive media exposure to natural disasters such as tsunamis may cause adverse effects including psychological distress and even posttraumatic symptoms in young children, particularly those who have suffered previous losses and trauma. This paper analyzes spontaneous representations of the 2004 tsunami through sandplay by a group of immigrant and refugee preschoolers, beginning 2 weeks after the tragedy. The children used a variety of coping strategies, making both nonverbal and verbal references to the tsunami. It was represented using a variety of figurines, including religious ones. We considered the children in light of four categories based on family homeland and psychological affinity to the tsunami experience. Our results suggest that sandplay provides an appropriate space to express and work through emotions stemming from the interaction of past and present experiences of adversity. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Author Keywords

Preschoolers Immigrant Media exposure Tsunami Sandplay

Index Keywords

male play therapy distress syndrome female major clinical study tsunami immigrant coping behavior priority journal preschool child refugee child behavior Article emotion human family

Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-33947612618&doi=10.1016%2fj.aip.2006.09.006&partnerID=40&md5=6a4f4e3249227dfc91ae04d237a8e27f

DOI: 10.1016/j.aip.2006.09.006
ISSN: 01974556
Cited by: 14
Original Language: English