The psychocorrectional effect of the tale has been known to mankind for more than one thousand years. However, as one of the methods of personality formation, it began to be used relatively recently. Fairytale therapy (this is the name of this correction method) is used in upbringing and education, in stimulating the development of the child and during training sessions.
The use of this method is becoming especially relevant in our time. After all, a fairy tale allows you to have an active and at the same time unobtrusive inspiring effect. In its collisions and symbols, it presents in encrypted form the most important characteristics of the behavior model, as well as those beliefs that are preferred in society, which contributes to the formation of personality.
Characteristics of the method of fairy tales
In what cases is the use of this method of exposure to children recommended? Psychocorrection tales are used in working with those patients who have some behavioral and emotional difficulties. Using this method, problems that arise in preschoolers, as well as in children of primary school and other ages, are solved. Psychocorrection tales help in working with insecure, aggressive and shy children, as well as those who have especially expressed feelings of guilt, shame and lies.
Fairytale therapy assists in the treatment of psychosomatic diseases, enuresis, etc. The process of such elimination of the problem itself leads to the fact that the child begins to analyze his deviations and become aware of the ways to solve them.
What are the reasons for the effectiveness of fairy tales?
Tales told by adults attract children. Tales allow a growing person to fantasize and dream freely. At the same time, they are a special reality for the child, which makes it possible to cognize the adult world of emotions and feelings.
In addition, young children have a highly developed identification mechanism. In other words, it is not difficult for them to emotionally unite themselves with another character or person, while assigning his samples of norms of values. In this regard, listening to psycho-corrective tales, the child begins to compare himself with their heroes, realizing that he and his problems and experiences exist.
The goal of psycho-correctional tales is unobtrusive suggestions for getting out of a wide variety of situations in the form of positive support for the capabilities of a small person, as well as ways to resolve conflicts. The child at the same time begins to imagine himself in the role of a positive hero. Why is this happening? Yes, because the position of the protagonist is the most attractive when compared to other characters. Thus, psycho-corrective tales for children allow them to assimilate the correct moral norms and values, as well as distinguish between evil and good.
According to experts, a metaphor, without which any fantastic story is complete, allows for contact between the left and right hemispheres of the brain. What happens in the process of perceiving psycho-correctional tales? The left hemisphere is included in the work. It extracts logical meaning from the plot. The right hemisphere remains free for creativity, imagination, imagination and dreams.
Specialists who conduct psycho-correctional work with children note that at a verbal level that a small patient recognizes, he may not accept a fairy tale at all. Nevertheless, the positive effect of such work will certainly be present, since changes, as a rule, occur at the subconscious level. It is noted that the use of the same tale has a different effect. Each child finds in it that which is especially relevant for him, and that which is consonant with his problems.
Based on existing practice, psycho-correctional tales in problem-free children most often do not find a special emotional response. They are perceived by them as interesting stories and do not lead to changes in behavior.
In fairy tale therapy, two approaches are used. These psychocorrectional methods differ from each other in the degree of individualization of magical or fantastic stories, and also based on the level of directivity of the method. Let's consider them in more detail.
Directional shape
With the directive method of fairy-tale therapy, the teacher or psychologist is the main person who actively participates in the process of classes and carefully monitors the behavior of the child. This allows you to interpret the reactions of a small patient and correctly build their further tactics.
In this case, the psychotherapeutic metaphors that are used in such work should be created and selected individually, based on the goals of the work and the problems the child has.
Those psychologists who work using this method note the fact that when creating a fairy tale, they primarily set the goal of obtaining the desired result. He should be:
- specific;
- controlled, that is, dependent not on external circumstances, but on the child himself;
- formulated in the most positive way, that is, to emphasize what should be disposed of and what should be sought.
And if the very structure of the story is connected with problems and with the life of a small patient, then this will allow the psycho-correctional mechanisms of the tale to work effectively.
The plot of the narrative with the directive method
What is the algorithm for compiling a psycho-corrective tale with a directed form of working with children? First of all, you need to pay special attention to the selection of characters. The establishment of certain relations between them is also of no small importance. For the most effective psycho-correctional work with children, the fairy tale is composed in such a way that its characters correspond to the participants in a real conflict. In this case, the specialist will need to establish symbolic relationships between the characters, similar to those that take place in a life conflict.
For example, the main problem of a small patient may be the inconsistency between the parents of their parenting methods. Dad, it is quite possible, overestimates his requirements for the child, and mother in every possible way intercedes and defends her child. In this case, a fairy tale plot can tell about the members of the team of a magic ship. In its composition, the psychologist includes a strict captain and a good helper, as well as an inept young jung.
Those experts who are proponents of the policy direction indicate that in order to compose an interesting fairy tale for the child, it will be necessary to first find out the hobbies and interests of the little patient. It is subsequently recommended to the psychologist to rely on them when creating the story. Using a topic that is understandable and close to the baby allows him to quickly get used to the proposed image of a fairy-tale hero, while correlating his and his problems, as well as see the necessary way out of the conflict situation.
For example, for a six-year-old boy who has a high level of development of intelligence, keen on astronomy, but experiencing significant difficulties in communication, a fairy tale about a lonely little star can be invented by a psychologist. She wanted to make friends with other stars, but could not overcome the huge distance to them.
Undirected form
There is a less directive method of fairy tales. It is based on the idea that each child is a unique person who perceives the world around him in his own way. Such a psychocorrectional program for children aims to help a small patient in identifying and realizing a problem. A story compiled by a specialist necessarily contains instructions to the child and some directions for their solution.
In this case, the teacher or psychologist creates a special emotional atmosphere. It is aimed at maintaining everything good and positive that a child has, recognizing his right to any feelings, but at the same time putting forward social requirements. For example, children are told that they should not bite, fight or call names.
Most often, when using this direction, classes are held immediately with a group of small patients consisting of 3-5 people. The duration of this course is 1-2 months. Tales in this case are created for the whole group, since it is believed that the child will perceive the proposed story in his own way, taking from it only what is relevant to his problem.
Narrative plot with a non-directive method
Tales with an undirected form of correctional work are compiled as a whole series of stories. They are interconnected by the same characters. In each tale, the heroes fall into various adventures. Such an algorithm is very convenient. After all, the child quickly gets used to the constant heroes, and it becomes much easier for him to compare himself with them. In addition, the cycle of stories used sometimes includes some ritual moments, and the teams that move from one fairy tale to another make it possible to most effectively manage ongoing sessions.
There are various types of tales for psycho-correctional work. Let's consider some of them in more detail.
Didactic tales
The main purpose of such stories is an entertaining presentation of the material. Even when the psychologist uses sounds, numbers, letters, arithmetic operations and other complex symbols, they must be presented in a playful way and be animated. So fabulous images will begin to reveal the meaning of the narrative and transmit the necessary knowledge in the highest quality possible way.
A characteristic feature of this type of correction is the use of subject information. At the same time, the development of creative abilities in children begins, their speech skills are formed and their thinking is improved.
Work with a didactic fairy tale includes separate stages. Among them - listening and discussion, analysis, as well as assessment of the plot. With a motivated and systematic use of such a therapy, the child begins to avoid typical mistakes and achieves high results on the topic under study.
The writing of didactic fairy tales is very effective for teenage patients. This technique allows you to fully realize the intellectual and creative resources of the child. He begins to approach the solution of the educational problem thanks to the perception of the achievement of success, which (as he begins to realize) can be achieved only after passing difficult tests.
Didactic psychocorrection tales for primary schoolchildren are the main focus in working with children of this age. Experts note that when they are used, even the most hard-educated and hard-to-educate children begin to show interest in the material.
Psychotherapeutic Tales
The peculiarity of such stories is that their plot should be similar to the problem that the child has, but at the same time not have a direct similarity with it. Stories told should offer a solution to an existing problem. No wonder they are also called fairy tales that can heal the soul.
For what age is the use of this direction suitable? Very effective are such psycho-correctional tales for preschoolers, as well as for older children. They are also used for adolescence.
Types of psychotherapeutic tales
Specialists distinguish several types of similar stories. Among them:
- Tales of a child very similar to a small patient. In this case, the main character of the story can become a friend of the baby. Events that will occur in history must certainly be similar to those that take place in real life. Using a similar example, children learn not only to solve their problems, but also to come to independent conclusions. For example, a child who does not want to do gymnastics will be quite appropriate to tell a story in which the protagonist accidentally overhears a conversation about the benefits of such exercises. He realized that gymnastics was able to give him such energy and strength that would achieve the desired.
- Stories about a little patient. Listening to such tales, the child will begin to directly identify with her main character. In this case, the teacher or psychologist will need to include in his story some elements directly transferred from real life. These are the names of toys and the names of friends or favorite cartoon characters. In a fairy tale of this type, the main character should be endowed with those positive qualities that it is desirable to instill in a small patient. For example, impoliteness can be corrected by the actions of the hero. In a fairy tale, he should greet everyone and help everyone. If a child is afraid of the dark, then stories about a little character who will rescue someone from a terrible and dark dungeon will be useful for him. According to psychologists, in this way you can achieve an emotional perception of history. After some time, the tale will begin to correlate with realities. Sometimes the child’s behavior pattern changes in the right direction a few hours after the session. After all, the baby will begin to try on the role of the main character on himself.
Functions of psycho-corrective tales
What goal can be achieved by telling a child specially invented stories for him? All types of fairy tales for psycho-correctional work allow:
- To educate in a small person the best qualities. This is kindness and decency, sincerity and courage, honesty and responsiveness.
- Teach the rules of conduct. Psychocorrection tales do this unobtrusively and gently. After all, such stories are necessary in order for the baby to transfer the emotions of sadness and joy, as well as empathy to the characters, into the real life.
- To instill in a small person eternal values, as well as to teach him understanding of the world and the relationships that exist between people.
- To relax.
- Accept positive experiences and show models of ideal relationships.
Those qualities possessed by invented heroes play only a supporting role in fairy-tale therapy. At the same time, they help to form the necessary character traits in the child. Most often, psychologists try to disguise the plot of the story. They make it somewhat more confusing than real life events. With a baby who needs to find a way out of a problem situation, experts talk like an adult. Only in this case will the spiritual work produced by the small patient become as effective as possible.
Psychocorrection tales for younger students should have a plot based on their personal interest. At the age of 6, it is advisable to influence the child with the help of funny stories that contain exciting adventures. At 7 years old, fairy tales are the best option. At this age, it is also advisable to acquaint kids with the works of different authors. At 8-9 years old, children will be especially interested in parables and everyday tales. They are happy to listen to stories that have a ramified plot, where, in addition to the emotions and feelings of the characters, author’s thoughts will be added.