Medical Journal of Mashhad university of Medical Sciences

Medical Journal of Mashhad university of Medical Sciences

Effectiveness of Communication-Based Play Therapy on Externalizing Behaviors in Students with Reading Disabilities

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Leylasadat sajjadi 1
Faramarz Sohrabi Asamrood 2
Mehrdad Sabet 3
Heydar Aqababa 4
1 Department of Psychology, Arsanjan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Arsanjan, Iran
2 Professor of Clinical Psychology, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabatabaei University, Tehran
3 Department of Psychology, Roudehen branch, Islamic Azad University, Roudehen, Iran.
4 Department of Biology, Islamic Azad University, Arsanjan Branch, Arsanjan, Iran.
10.22038/mjms.2026.28259
Abstract
Introduction: Reading learning disorder is a common issue among students, often leading to behavioral problems, particularly externalizing disorders such as aggression and defiance. Since communication skills play a crucial role in emotion regulation and social interactions, communication-based play therapy may effectively reduce behavioral issues. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a communication skills-based play therapy package in reducing externalizing behavioral disorders in students with reading learning disorder.
Methods: This quasi-experimental study utilized a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design with a control group. Thirty male students aged 8 to 10 with reading learning disorder were purposively selected and assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group participated in 15 sessions of 60-minute play therapy. Data were collected using Achenbach's Behavior Problems Questionnaire (1991) and analyzed using ANCOVA.
Results: The results showed that this intervention significantly reduced externalizing behavioral disorders in the experimental group (P<0.05), with effects remaining stable in the follow-up phase.

Conclusion: Thus, communication skills-based play therapy can be considered an effective intervention for reducing behavioral problems in students with reading learning disorder.
Keywords
Play therapy
communication skills
externalizing behavioral problems
learning to read disorder
Medical Journal of Mashhad university of Medical Sciences
Volume 68, Issue 6
January and February 2026