Effects of Sandplay Therapy on Aggression and Brain Waves of Female Juvenile Delinquents

In order to decrease the aggression of female juvenile delinquents put into juvenile reformatory and verify changes in their brain waves related to emotions, this study assigned nine adolescents to an experimental group with the help of a juvenile reformatory located in Gyeonggi-do and conducted sandplay therapy with them. Another nine adolescents were assigned to a control group. The female adolescents in the experimental group received individual sandplay therapy once per week, sixty minutes per each time, for a total of ten sessions. Prior to and after the sandplay therapy, the subjects self-reported the Buss & Durkee Hostility Inventory (BDHI) and their brain waves were tested. The experimental group’s brain waves were tested bi-weekly prior to and after each section and their process of changes was traced. The result showed that sandplay therapy was effective in reducing the aggression of female juvenile delinquents and positively raising the attention index related to aggression.