AXLINES CASE STUDY OF DIBS (1964) Personality development in play therapyAIM Axline was a clinical psychologist who used play therapy to help Dibs. Her aim was to help him fulfil his potential, interact with others and unlock problems

Case Background Dibs school called Axline in because he appeared to have learning difficulties but school suspected he was very bright.Main part of study was Axlines story of her sessions with Dibs (including meeting his parents). Axline quotes Dibs and gives great detail of the sessions. Case description - 5 year old Dibs lived with younger sister and parents (dad was scientist, before Dibs birth mum a surgeon). They had not wanted children and found Dibs hard to deal with.

At home and school Dibss behaviour was difficult. He did not want to go home from schooldid not interact with other children, hid under desks, would not speak and would not join in with activities

Axline soon discovered Dibss speech, reading and writing abilities were well above averageDibs attended one hour Play therapy sessions each week. He could play and speak freely (Axline did not guide him he made his own decisions)Dibs was observed in play therapy room containing a one-way mirror so other researchers could make notes and tape-record sessions

Axline tried to be objective by not interpreting what Dibs said

Axline found out that his mother was constantly testing him expecting him to get everything right. His father seemed not to love him told him not to be stupid, criticise him and locked him in his roomIn play therapy Dibs used dolls and soldiers to act out situations with his family. Showed hatred for his father by burying a toy soldier he called Papa in the sandDibs talked a lot about not liking locked walls and doors his father had locked him in his room

Case analysis In the case study Axline does not relate it specifically to the psychodynamic approach. However, it seems as if Dibs worked through his anger using play and using symbols such as the Papa soldier

This links to Freuds ideas about fixation and unconscious feelings which can be released and understood through the use of symbolsDibss behaviour in school and at home before therapy could have come from the ids demands: because the superego had become over-controlling through his parents expectations. The ids desires had been repressed and needed to be released.Axlines strategy to allow Dibs to play freely allowed Dibss personality to guide him, to get a better balance between id, ego and superego

Conclusion Case study of Dibs shows how there can be problems if the three parts of the personality are not balanced. It also shows that if problems are acted out, e.g. through play therapy, they can be released and a balance achievedSTRENGTH Qualitative Data rich and in-depth - Play therapy sessions were recorded and observed, detailed notes taken by other researchers (so they are unaffected by Axline). This makes the data more valid.STRENGTH Case study involved several methods Interviews (with mother and school), observations (at school and with father) and in play therapy. Having more than one source means data can be tested for validity (i.e. are findings similar from the different methods)

WEAKNESS

It is difficult to test for reliability Axline was a participant observer so could have affected Dibss play. Therefore impossible to repeat using a different therapist because Dibs would not be the same.WEAKNESS

It is difficult to apply theory to the study although there are links to psychodynamic theory e.g. role of the unconscious and need to allow repressed ideas into consciousness Study is largely descriptive rather than explanatory a weakness when looking at the study as a way of building a body of knowledge