The use of art therapy as a means of the emotional sphere



This work was chosen by us for the reason that a lot of athletes go through excitement, fear, emotions, excessive self-confidence. Our job was to understand psychological lessons and consultations help children to feel their importance and that they basically have nothing to fear in sports. That everyone is equal and losing does not mean the end of sports activity.

Keywords : emotional, anxiety, kickboxers, that, athlete, this, for, method, correction, work, level, state, emotional sphere, sphere, result

Introduction

The relevance of the chosen topic is determined by the wide prevalence of emotional disorders among kickboxers of different ages. Psychological studies and practical observations of kickboxers show that there are various kinds of problems and difficulties, among which most often violations of the emotional sphere.

In many countries of the world, including Russia, there is a growing interest in the use of art therapy as a method of correction in the practical psychology of education. Art therapy is a means of harmonizing and developing the human psyche through artistic activities.

Art therapy is a method of psychocorrection that uses artistic techniques and creativity, focused on the inherent internal potential of health and strength of each person, where the emphasis is placed on the natural manifestation of feelings, moods, emotions.

This method helps to increase self-esteem, teaches you to relax and get rid of negative emotions, in particular, it is very effective for correcting emotional disorders.

Investigating this problem, it should be recognized that the current state of education and approach to the training process does not allow us to effectively solve the problems of maintaining psychological health and requires the scientific development of new approaches to this problem.

Research objective: to study the peculiarities of the emotional sphere of athletes and create a program aimed at its correction using the method of art therapy.

The object of research is the emotional characteristics of kickboxers, in particular, such as anxiety, children's fears, increased emotional tension.

The subject of the study is changes in the emotional sphere of kickboxers in the process of correction through art therapy.

Research hypothesis: we assume that a specially developed program for correcting the emotional sphere of kickboxers through art therapy will help to level out their negative emotional states, such as an increased level of anxiety, the presence of a large number of fears, and increased emotional tension.

To achieve this goal and test the proposed research hypothesis, the following tasks were defined :

— Conduct a theoretical analysis of psychological and pedagogical literature on the problem of psychological correction of the emotional sphere;

— Choose a set of techniques for studying the emotional sphere

— To study experimentally the peculiarities of the emotional sphere of athletes

— Create a program of psychological and pedagogical correction of emotional disorders of kickboxers using the art-therapy method;

— To substantiate the necessity of studying and correcting the emotional state of kickboxers in an educational institution.

After studying the scientific and theoretical foundations of the development of emotions, we came to the conclusion that the emotional sphere of kickboxers is the most important system that has a huge impact on the mental life and behavior of an athlete and is very important for his mental and somatic health.

The key points of a kickboxer's emotional development are: mastering social forms of expression of emotions; forming a sense of duty, further developing aesthetic, intellectual and moral feelings.

Currently, the number of athletes with emotional disorders is growing, primarily due to the unstable environmental situation, the negative impact of the media, the disunity of athletes, their inability to communicate with each other.

Correction of the emotional sphere is aimed at overcoming negative emotional states, disorders, functioning or delays in the development of certain components of the emotional sphere of kickboxers.

The method of art therapy is a means of emotional correction. This method is one of the most natural forms of correctional work. That is why recently this method is increasingly included in the correction and development work with athletes who have emotional and personal disorders and gives positive results.

With the use of art-therapy, kickboxers experience negative emotions, release psychological energy, which is usually spent on ineffective tension, increase self-esteem, and athletes become more calm and relaxed. Demonstrativeness, aggression, negativism, give way to initiative and creativity.

This work was carried out in several stages.

Stage 1-ascertaining.

At the final stage of the experiment, we selected 20 athletes.

Next, we conducted a primary psychological diagnosis of the initial state of the emotional sphere of the selected kickboxers (levels of anxiety, emotional tension, the presence of fears), using the selected psychological methods and summarizing the results of the primary study.

During this survey, we used the following psychodiagnostics tools:

1. Test to determine the level of anxiety (R.Temml, M.Dorky, F.Amen)

Objective: to identify anxiety in relation to a number of life situations typical for a child of interaction with other people, where the corresponding personality quality is most pronounced.

2. Graphic technique «Cactus» (M. A. Panfilova), for studying the state of the emotional sphere.

Purpose: to determine the state of general emotional tension and feelings of negativism in a primary school student.

3. SAN Questionnaire

The test is designed for rapid assessment of well-being, activity, and mood (the questionnaire is named after the first letters of these functional statesопросник).

Stage 2-formative.

This stage of the study consisted in conducting specially organized classes with kickboxers of the experimental group, aimed at correcting the identified violations.

Classes were held for two months (once a week), according to the program developed by us, using game methods and techniques in combination with art therapy (drawing therapy, fairy-tale therapy, music therapy). The main stage of correctional work is associated with the use of art therapy methods that will solve the problems of emotional development of the athlete.

Stage 3 — control.

The final stage of our work involved checking the effectiveness кикбоксерамиof the correctional program conducted with kickboxers. To do this, the athletes underwent repeated psychological diagnostics using the same methods and compared the results of the ascertaining and control stages of the study.

Results of the primary study of the emotional state of kickboxers.

1. Test to determine the level of anxiety (R.Temml, M.Dorky, F.Amen).

Quantitative analysis . After processing and interpreting the data, we identified schoolchildren with high and moderate levels of anxiety and their percentage ratio (Table 1, 2)

Table 1

General indicators in percent and the level of anxiety according to the R.Temml, M. Dorky, V.Amen (quantitative analysis)

Level of anxiety
Tall		Average		Low
Number of children	%	Number of children	%	Number of children	%
10	50 %	8	40 %	2	10 %

8 children have a high level of anxiety, which is 60 %,

6 children have an average level of anxiety — 40 %, respectively, there is no low level of anxiety.

Table 2

Indicators of anxiety as a percentage according to the method R. Temml, M. Dorky, V.Amen (quantitative analysis)

№	% of anxiety
1	58
2	48
3	60
4	64
5	60
6	29
7	72
8	58
9	48
10	35
11	38
12	18
13	36
14	58
15	12
16	78
17	66
18	30
19	32
20	72

Qualitative data analysis is presented in the table below.

It allows you to determine the features of the child's emotional experience in various situations, which can be divided into situations with positive, negative emotional coloring and situations with a double meaning.

Table 3

Indicators of anxiety according to the method R.Temml, M.Dorky, V.Amen (qualitative analysis)

№

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

1

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

2

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

3

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

4

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

5

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

6

+

+

+

+

7

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

8

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

9

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

10

+

+

+

+

+

+

11

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

12

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

13

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

14

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

15

+

+

16

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

17

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

18

+

+

+

+

19

+

+

+

+

20

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

Number of " -" elections

6

5

15

0

0

19

0

17

15

20

5

19

1

17

Most athletes experience anxiety caused by stressful situations (aggression from other athletes, friends, classmates, compliance with adult requirements, ignoring by an adult, punishment, etc.). In addition, anxiety is also personal in nature, when a kickboxer constantly faces excessive adult requirements, which may not really correspond to the athlete's capabilities. In the course of the study, athletes with high indicators of anxiety (Danya G. and Roma Sh., Roma V.) showed anxiety, self-doubt, and the correctness of their answers.

Athletes demonstrated neurotic behaviors such as biting their nails, rocking in their chairs, biting their lower lip, and so on. ПWhen interpreting the results of the kickboxer anxiety test, we found that 10 children have a high level of anxiety, which is 50 %, 8 children have an average level of anxiety-40 %, and 2 children have a low level of anxiety, which is 10 %.

The high level of anxiety in the examined athletes indicates a lack of emotional adaptation of athletes to certain life situations. Emotionally positive or emotionally negative experiences indirectly allow us to judge the peculiarities of kickboxers ' relationships with their peers and adults in the family.

2. Graphic technique «Cactus» (M. A. Panfilova).

When processing results, we take into account data that corresponds to all graphic methods: space, location, size of the drawing, line characteristics, and pressure. In addition, specific indicators specific to this particular methodology are taken into account:

— characteristics of the «cactus image» (wild, homely, primitive, detailed),

— characteristics of the drawing style (drawn, schematic),

— characteristics of needles (size, location, quantity).

The following qualities of the subjects may appear in the drawings:

— aggression — the presence of needles. Strongly protruding, long, close to each other;

— impulsivity — jerky lines, strong pressure.

— egocentrism — a large drawing, the center of the sheet.

— dependency — a small drawing at the bottom of the sheet.

— demonstrativeness, openness — protruding shoots in the cactus, pretentiousness of forms;

— stealth, caution — zigzags along the contour or inside the cactus.

— optimism — «joyful cacti»;

— alarm — dark colors, internal hatching.

— femininity-decoration, flowers, soft lines and shapes.

— extraversion — the presence of other cacti or flowers in the drawing.

— introversion — the picture shows one cactus.

— the desire for home protection, the presence of a sense of family community — the presence of a flower pot, the image of a houseplant;

— the presence of a sense of loneliness — wild», desert " cacti.

When interpreting the completed drawings, the visual experience of the «artist»must be taken into account. After completing the work, the child is asked questions, the answers to which will help to clarify the interpretation of the drawings.

In a conversation with each kickboxer, immediately after they performed the drawing, we were able to see how the athletes are contradictory between their statements and the content of the drawing. From this, we can conclude that athletes have internal conflicts and also assume that these conflicts are the result of difficulties in contacting people around them. All this can be considered from two sides. On the one hand, this is a very humble need for communication, affection, on the other-the inability to realize this need.

I would like to note that during the study, almost all anxious athletes are slow, silent, and, despite the fact that they understand the instructions and the task, it is sometimes difficult for them to answer the question. Kickboxers are afraid to answer, they are afraid to say something wrong and do not even try to give an answer, or they say that they do not know the answer, or they simply remain silent.

To interpret the drawings, we used 11 indicators that determine the degree of manifestation of negative, emotional states of each child.

Thus, according to the results of the «Cactus» graphic technique, this sample is characterized by a high level of anxiety, aggression, isolation, and the desire for home protection.

anxiety — 13 children

increased level of aggression — 9 children

striving for protection — 9 children

egocentrism — 8 children

introversion — 8

3 . SAN questionnaire (health, activity, mood)

Based on the result of this questionnaire, it can be concluded that most athletes felt tired at the time of the test.

The mood scale shows that the mood background is elevated, which may be due to a favorable and comfortable environment during testing.

Your health and activity are lower, but your mood is higher.

After analyzing the results of the initial examination of the emotional state of athletes using three methods, we can draw the following conclusions: more than half of athletes experience a high level of anxiety, emotional tension, and the presence of fears.

It should be noted that when observing kickboxers during the diagnostic process, we found that almost all athletes have difficulties. This is accompanied by feelings of anxiety, dissatisfaction, isolation, and other manifestations of emotional instability. They then compensate for their dissatisfaction in a free game, in training, where they show themselves aggressively, get angry, look angrily at others, etc. However, this behavior does not lead to success, on the contrary, it further aggravates the conflict and increases helplessness and fear.

As we can see, the results of all three tests are very similar. Kickboxers are characterized by the following unfavorable emotional states: increased anxiety, fears, and emotional instability. This tells us about the need to work on the correction of identified violations of the emotional state of children.

After carrying out the primary diagnosis using the above-mentioned methods and processing the results of the study of the emotional sphere, the children were treated according to the program of complex psychocorrection developed by usпсихокоррекции, identified emotional disorders using the following types of art therapy: drawing therapy, fairy-tale therapy, music therapy, sand therapy.

Program goal: creating psychological and pedagogical conditions for overcoming anxiety, fears and emotional tension in kickboxers by correcting them using art therapy methods.

In this regard, the following main tasks were set:

1. Actualization and verbalization of kickboxers ' fears, emotional tension and anxiety.
2. Developing кикбоксеровa sense of empathy and tolerance for the emotional state of other people in kickboxers.
3. Using a variety of methods and techniques of art therapy in the process of correctional work with kickboxers
4. Training in self-regulation and emotional relaxation techniques.

The principles that form the basis of our program are the following: the principle of unconditional acceptance of a kickboxer; the principle of taking into account individual and personal characteristics of a kickboxer; the principle of complementarity of a defect: the composition of the correction group should not be single(kickboxers with different psychological difficulties should be included), since in the course of training kickboxers compensate for each other's problems.

Program performance criteria:

— increase of self-confidence;

— reducing anxiety;

— reducing the number of fears;

— improving the child-child relationship.

The correctional program included two stages of work.

The first stage is to establish an emotionally positive contact with the kickboxer.

The second stage is the stage of objectification of situations and emotional experiences. At this stage, much attention is paid to individual work in the form of drawing therapy, in combination with other techniques. The goal of the second stage is to create prerequisites for overcoming anxiety and fears.

In the content of the training program, there are three blocks that provide solutions to the tasks set.

1 block — entertainment (contact) — 1 work-includes the association of children, tasks aimed at creating a kind and safe environment.

2 block-correction-oriented + training — 8 classes-correction of emotional disorders (fears, anxiety, self-doubt), training.

3 block — entertainment + training and control tasks.

The control stage allows you to see the effectiveness of correctional work. Monitoring is carried out using all diagnostic materials previously used. The results are recorded in psychological maps and compared.

The lesson structure includes the following elements:

— Greeting (allows you to rally athletes, create an atmosphere of group trust and acceptance).

— Warm-up (influence on the emotional state of athletes, their level of activity. Allows you to activate kickboxers, raise their spirits).

— The main part of the lesson (a set of psychotechnical exercises and techniques aimed at solving the tasks of this program. The sequence involves alternating activities, changing the psychophysical state of the kickboxer: from mobile to calm, from intellectual to relaxation techniques).

— Reflection (athletes give two grades: emotional and semantic).

— The ritual of farewell.

After the program was developed, repeated diagnostics were performed using the same methods as at the initial stage.

Diagnostics was carried out in order to check the effectiveness of psychological correction of the emotional sphere, through a system of classes compiled by us using the art therapy method.

The results were recorded and compared with the initial diagnostic data.

Let's consider the results of the study of the emotional state before and after correction in athletes using the projective test to determine the level of anxiety R.Temml, M.Dorky, F.Amen.

Application of the methodology for diagnosing anxiety R.Temml, M., Dorky, V. Amen allowed us to trace the features of an athlete's emotional response to communication with other people.

The average values of anxiety in kickboxers are shown in the table.

Table 4

Dynamics of the average group values of anxiety of subjects on the anxiety test R.Temml, M. Dorky, V.Amen (summary)

№	% of anxiety	% of anxiety
	Before correction	After the correction of correctores
1	58	50
2	58	50
3	58	35
4	64	58
5	57	50
6	58	50
7	72	64
8	58	56
9	48	48
10	35	35
11	38	36
12	18	18
13	36	34
14	58	54
15	12	12
16	78	62
17	66	60
18	30	30
19	32	30
20	72	66
Ms. anxiety value	50.3 %	44.9 %

After analyzing the results obtained in the sample before and after psycho-correction work, we traced the dynamics of anxiety reduction in relation to a number of typical life situations among kickboxers in the experimental group. From the analysis of the results (Table 6), it can be seen that after correctional work in the group as a whole, the level of anxiety of athletes approaches the optimal one: there was a decrease in the high level, the number of schoolchildren with an average level of anxiety increased (11 people).

Thus, the data of comparative analysis indicate that adequate use of psychocorrective work contributes to reducing the level of anxiety in kickboxers.

Results of the study of the emotional state before and after correctional work in kickboxers using the graphic technique «Cactus» by M. A. Panfilova. We used the same parameters to interpret the figures used to determine the degree of negative emotional states as in the initial study.

Table 5

The number of negative factors according to the «Cactus» graphic method

№	Before correction	After correction
1	8	7
2	7	6
3	6	6
4	7	5
5	5	6
6	8	7
7	7	6
cf. value	6.85	6.2

Comparing the drawings before and after the correction work, it should be noted that the lines of the images have become more confident, and the color selection is softer. Cacti have become less angry and more colorful.

The behavior of athletes during drawing has also changed. We can say that kickboxers have developed a dynamic of trusting others.

Looking at the pictures in a certain sequence, we can see the dynamics of reducing their anxiety and other negative emotional states.

At the very beginning of training, during the correction period, kickboxers experienced some stiffness and tightness in their behavior, and used disturbing colors. This suggests that at first the children were actively released from negative experiences.

At the end of the correction work, there was a dynamic change in the drawings for the better, and the works began to acquire a joyful and bright color.

The table shows that the average value of negative indicators has slightly decreased. It should be noted that the kickboxers number of negative factors for other kickboxers has not changed. This obsession suggests that the internal conflict of these athletes remained, this is confirmed by the contradictions between their drawings.

After the correction work, three kickboxers showed a decrease in their anxiety and negativism. It can also be noted that athletes have become more free from emotional tension, stiffness has become more confident.

We do not undertake to state unequivocally about the sustainability of reducing the negative emotional state of kickboxers. It should be noted that emotional processes are very mobile, so not all athletes had a clear line of getting rid of negative feelings.

The kickboxers' emotional background has significantly improved.

Let's consider the results of a study of the emotional state before and after correction in kickboxers using the SAN method.

As a result of the correction, the indicators increased:

well-being by 25 %,

mood by 10 %.

Comparison of the results of the initial and repeated examination of kickboxers using this method convincingly indicates positive dynamics in the emotional sphere у of kickboxers.

This is reflected in a reduction in the level of anxiety among kickboxers.

Our research and literature analysis allow us to conclude that the problem of psychological correction of the emotional sphere of kickboxers remains relevant for theory and practice.

In connection with this goal, our work examines the state of the problem under study in the works of domestic and foreign psychologists and teachers, analyzes the features of the development of the emotional sphere of kickboxers and examines the possibilities of correcting the emotional sphere through art therapy.

The analysis of pedagogical research made it possible to determine the importance and significance of emotions in the life of a professional athlete.

We found out that the formation of kickboxers ' ability to overcome their adversity occurs in activities, in direct communication with adults and peers.

Therefore, in our work, we used an activity-based approach to the correction of the emotional sphere.

As follows from the results of theoretical and empirical research of the emotional sphere of kickboxers, the most common features are aggressiveness, short temper, passivity, hyperactivity, shyness, anxiety, and children's fears. These disorders were diagnosed by us using a set of techniques:

1) Anxiety test (P.Temml, M.Dorky, F.Amen). The purpose of this technique is to identify anxiety in relation to a number of typical life situations of interaction with other people, where the corresponding quality of personality is most pronounced.

2) Graphic technique «Cactus» (M. A. Panfilova) for determining the state of general emotional tension and feelings of negativism in a schoolchild.

3) ОпросникSUN questionnaire. The test is designed for rapid assessment of well-being, activity, and mood (the questionnaire is named after the first letters of these functional statesопросник).

Having studied the concept of psychological correction, in our work we proceeded from the definition of it as a method of psychological influence aimed at optimizing the development of mental processes, functions and at harmonizing the development of personal properties.

Having considered the main methods of working with kickboxers, we concluded that the methods of psychocorrection within the framework of the activity approach are aimed at developing interpersonal interaction, developing the ability to flexibly respond to a problem situation, quickly adapt to various conditions, that is, methods of social adaptation.

We found that activity-based approach to psychotherapy based on the recognition that the activity of the athlete is the driving force of development that the leading activity contributes to the development of the athlete, and methods for remedial work are built taking into account the leading in the age of the kind of activity and this game activity, as well as taking into account the productive activities (drawing therapy), fairy tale therapy, and music therapy.

It is the activity-based approach that formed the basis for the developed classes using art therapy methods as the most effective method for correcting the peculiarities of the emotional sphere.

Primary diagnostics showed that the examined kickboxers are characterized by such unfavorable emotional states as increased anxiety, fears, negative attitude towards peers and close people, loss of a sense of security.

Based on the performed diagnostics of kickboxers, we developed and implemented a program of psychological correction of the kickboxer's emotional sphere, based on the methods of art therapy.

When compiling the program, we relied on an activity-based approach to psychocorrection, which is based on the recognition that it is the active activity of an athlete that is the driving force of his development, that leading activity contributes most to the development of an athlete, expands the possibilities of using various means of correction, taking into account the social situation of development.

Based on the results of the correction work, the final stage of the experiment was carried out, which was aimed at evaluating the program's capabilities.

Summarizing the results of the analysis of qualitative and quantitative characteristics, it is necessary to emphasize that the program compiled by us is a fairly effective means of correcting disorders in the emotional sphere of kickboxers.

When analyzing the emotional states of athletes, a positive dynamics of correction of the emotional sphere of the child was established.

Thus, as a result of applying the developed program for correcting emotional disorders in kickboxers, positive changes are noted in the ability to interpret other people's feelings and understand the emotional attitude towards themselves.

It should be noted that athletes have become more open, sociable, and anxiety has decreased. The overall emotional background has improved; athletes have become more active in game situations; their mood has increased, which is undoubtedly a characteristic of favorable prerequisites for further emotional development.

Naturally, athletes have not yet got rid of negative, negative manifestations of the psyche. But this was not the purpose of our study, as the time allotted for correctional work is not enough for serious changes in the mental development of kickboxers.

We have only outlined the work on psychological correction of the emotional sphere of kickboxers, which needs to be continued.

All assigned research tasks have been completed.

The results of practical work confirmed the hypothesis formulated by us that a specially designed program for correcting the emotional sphere of kickboxers through art therapy will help to level out their negative emotional states, such as an increased level of anxiety, the presence of a large number of fears, and increased emotional tension.

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