Intervention effects of family sandplay therapy combined with therapeutic communication on children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Objective To explore the intervention effects of family sandplay therapy combined with therapeutic communication on children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods A total of 76 children with ADHD admitted to our hospital from September 2017 to September 2018 were selected for the study and were divided into observation group and control group according to the random number table method, with 38 cases in each group. The control group was given therapeutic communication intervention, and the observation group was given family sandplay therapy on this basis. The changes of symptoms scores were compared between the two groups before and after the intervention. The parenting stress of families was analyzed in the two groups. The attention towards external audio-visual signals and coping ability were explored. The satisfaction degree of family members towards nursing work was recorded. Results After the intervention, the scores of oppositional defiant behavior, hyperactivity-impulsivity, and inattention, and the total score in the two groups were significantly decreased, and the scores of oppositional defiant behavior, hyperactivity-impulsivity, and inattention, and the total score in the observation group [(8.27±1.26) points, (6.97±1.21) points, (11.24±1.28) points, (25.47±2.38) points] were significantly lower than those in the control group [(11.34±2.61) points, (9.64±1.51) points, (17.49±1.25) points, (36.59±3.17) points] (P<0.05). After the intervention, the scores of visual response control quotient (VRCQ), full scale response control quotient (FRCQ), auditory attention quotient (AAQ), full scale attention quotient (FAQ), auditory response control quotient (ARCQ), and visual attention quotient (VAQ) were significantly decreased in the two groups, and the above scores in the observation group [(75.21±4.61) points, (68.47±5.12) points, (69.58±6.28) points, (71.26±6.39) points, (71.54±6.27) points, (72.14±5.31) points] were significantly lower than those in the control group [(84.56±4.21) points, (82.59±5.31) points, (75.49±5.67) points, (86.31±6.17) points, (86.59±5.31) points, (82.41±5.64) points] (P<0.05). After the intervention, the scores of dimensions of difficult children, parent-child interaction disorder, and parenting sorrow were significantly decreased in the two groups, and the above scores in the observation group [(16.59±1.28) points, (22.17±2.36) points, (23.15±2.14) points] were significantly lower than those in the control group [(25.67±2.01) points, (25.91±1.37) points, (26.25±1.07) points] (P<0.05). The satisfaction scores towards nursing attitude, health education, psychological intervention, communication ability, and game affinity in the observation group after the intervention (89.47%, 92.11%, 94.74%, 92.11%, 94.74%) were significantly higher than those in the control group (68.42%, 71.05%, 65.79%, 68.42%, 73.68%) (P<0.05). Conclusion Family sandplay therapy combined with therapeutic communication has better intervention effects on children with ADHD, and it can significantly improve the clinical symptoms, strengthen the attention and control ability towards audio-visual signals, and relieve the parenting stress of family members, with high satisfaction of family members, thus it is worthy of clinical promotion and application. Key words: Family sandplay therapy; Therapeutic communication; Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); Intervention