Sports group: an alternative treatment modality for emotionally disturbed adolescents

For emotionally disturbed adolescents who cannot use verbal communication as a therapeutic vehicle, individual psychotherapy is not an optimal treatment modality. In considering additional & alternative treatment methods, those which would utilize the more usual interests of the developing adole...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Adolescence 1978-01, Vol.13 (51), p.483-488
Main Authors: Dozier, J E, Lewis, S, Kersey, A G, Charping, J W
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescence/Adolescent/Adolescents
Adolescent
Affective Symptoms - therapy
Child
Female
Group/Groups/Grouping/Groupism
Humans
Male
Peer Group
Psychotherapy, Group - methods
Social Adjustment
Sport/Sporting/Sports (see also Sportsmanship)
Sports
Therapy/Therapeutic
Treatment
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Summary:For emotionally disturbed adolescents who cannot use verbal communication as a therapeutic vehicle, individual psychotherapy is not an optimal treatment modality. In considering additional & alternative treatment methods, those which would utilize the more usual interests of the developing adolescent were sought. Athletics present opportunities for adolescents to engage in a familiar activity which can be utilized to enhance the youngsters' psychological as well as physical development. With this in mind, a therapeutic program of sports activities for selected adolescents from the outpatient Child Psychiatry Clinic of Vanderbilt Hospital was instituted. Meeting twice a week, 2 sports groups (1 M & 1 F) of 8 youngsters each, learn about & participate in a variety of activities. At the manifest level, these young adolescents (aged 12 to 16 years) bowl, swim, box, play golf, football, & tennis. The fundamentals of each sport are taught. Group leaders pay close attention to the mixture of fun, adaptive regression & expression, & emotional difficulty. Youngsters generally become more confident & expressive, & ultimately more independent & autonomous. Shortly after beginning the sports program, the parents' participation was cultivated as an integral part of the activities. A group of parents was formed to keep parents informed & to help them voice concerns about their children. Since the sports group program is still realtively new, firm data on group effectiveness are not available. Of the 31 adolescents who have participated in the sports group program to date, many have made significant & lasting gains in personal growth. In a recently completed questionnaire survey, the youngsters reported feeling more self-confident & better able to make friends. Modified AA.
ISSN:0001-8449