Axline's study of Dibs Flashcards
What was it about?
Personality development in play therapy
What was the aim?
To unlock deep rooted problems they thought must be underpinning Dibs’ behavior because most of the teachers thought Dibs was not lacking in intellect despite his refusal/inability to communicate
How often did Dibs attend play therapy?
Once a week for an hour
What happened when Axline was 5?
he was referred to Axline who specialized in play therapy
What did Axline find about Dibs at the beginning?
That he was solitary and aggressive at school and would violently resist been taken home
What professions did his parents have?
Both were surgeons but mother gave it up when Dibs was born
What did the parents believe about Dibs?
That he was mentally retarded brain damaged although everyone who new him at school thought his problems were emotional
What did Dibs do in the first session?
Demonstrated that he could read labels on paint tins
What did other sessions involve?
playing with a dolls house where he closed all the shutters and locked all the doors
What did he comment after playing with the dolls house?
‘a lock that locks tight with a key and high hard walls,and a door,a locked door’
When he played with finger paints what did he say?
‘oh come away Dibs it is a very silly kind of paint, come away’
When his father picked him up what did he say to dibs?
‘Cant you stop that senseless jabber’
What did Dibs displace his anger onto?
a toy soldier which he buried and repeatedly hit
What could it be applied to?
The Oedipus complex with Dibs removing his father from the scene
results?
- Dibs obtained mastery of his feelings and resolved his issues through acting them out and taking control during play
- His behavior at school improved even though he still had a lot of anger towards his father but eventually this relationship improved
