Famous case study by Virginia Axline ‘In search of self’ Dibs Famous case study by Virginia Axline ‘In search of self’

Lessons Aims By the end of this lesson you should be able to: State the key features of Axline’s case study (1964) of a boy known as ‘Dibs’ Explain how play therapy was used in Axline’s study Be able to evaluate the Dib’s case study itself as well as the case study research method

Describing a case study Aims Case Description –the story Case Analysis – Axline’s analysis Conclusion

Axline’s Aim The case study is about one of Axline’s genuine real life cases. She was a clinical psychologist. Dibs was a 5 year old boy who wouldn’t speak, was aggressive and couldn’t mix with the other children at school. The aim was to help Dib’s express himself and ‘unlock’ his personality.

Procedure Axline visited the school and observed Dibs. She then met with Dibs’ mother, who agreed for Dibs to attend play therapy sessions once a week for an hour She worked with him in a playroom to observe his play and behaviour She kept detailed records of all sessions with Dibs and discussions with his teachers and mother. She observed one interaction between Dib’s and his father

Important to note: Axline waited for Dibs to speak and would then feedback what he was asking about in the hope that he would continue on the theme. She did not want there to be any interruption of his natural behaviour. She also waited for the mother to come to her, rather than ask the mother questions before she was ready to talk.

Key Themes notes by Axline Dibs demonstrated dislike of his father. Using a toy soldier he called ‘Papa’, he acted out hurting his father. He locked his parents into a dolls’ house and pretended it was on fire. But he did release the family and his father.

Another theme Dibs did not speak or show much evidence of his true intellect when Axline first met him but very quickly it became obvious that he was a very gifted child. His teachers suspected he was intelligent His parents thought he was possibly brain damaged

Another theme Dibs did not like locked doors or walls. He brought this up a lot especially in play therapy. NB: His father would Sometimes lock Dibs in his bedroom

Key features Dibs had violent outbursts. Dibs never wanted to go home. Dibs played with the dolls house a lot .He would lock the windows and doors. He buried a doll in the sand .He called it papa. He hid the soldiers and they also seemed to represent his father. He wanted his father to go away.

Dibs buried A doll representing Papa in the sand Dibs hated walls and Locked Doors Dibs never wanted to Go home Dibs buried and Hid his soldiers

Extract  Doctor Axline is presented to his father. Here is a the passage of this brief interview between the three characters: The Papa glanced at me. “How do you do”, he said, stiffly. He seemed very ill at ease. “ How do you do,” I replied “I say, Papa,” Dibs said. “Do you know today is not Independence Day?” “Come Dibs I am in a hurry,” Papa said “Independence Day comes on Thursday,” Papa was shoving Dibs out the door. “Can’t you stop that senseless jabber?” he said, between clenched teeth

Analysis Axline believed Dibs felt humiliation from his parents and the only family member he did not feel this from was his grandmother. His mother seemed to be ashamed of Dibs. She was constantly testing him. Both parents were high achievers but his mother seemed to blame Dibs for her not being able to maintain her career. His parents suspected he was brain damaged Dibs turned out to be a gifted child who could read and write easily and understand complex concepts.

The play therapy for Dibs has been an “opportunity to move out of those dark moments and discover for himself that he could cope with the shadows and sunshine in his life” (Dibs : In Search of Self p. 215). The week after the play therapy sessions ended, a clinical psychologist conducted a test of intelligence. The results indicated that Dibs was an “exceptionally gifted child”. He was sent to a school for gifted children 

It is clear that Dibs used the toy soldiers to represent his father. Application Consider how useful play therapy is in enabling children such as Dibs to use toys to represent the real world. It is clear that Dibs used the toy soldiers to represent his father. Much of current play therapy practice is based upon Virginia Axline’s work

Play therapy rooms

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1uV8xnDodo sand http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aE-F-jYFJs clay

Task Read the information on your sheet Hi-light if it helps you to identify key ideas Create Dibs’ story into a story board