Relationship of Group Play Activities on the Reduction of Separation Anxiety among Kindergarten Learners in Buhangin Elementary School

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

It is normal to be anxious in certain circumstances but the anxiety disorders are when children are anxious when there is no reason to be fearful. The occurrence of childhood separation anxiety disorder puts the individual at increased risk of developing some other kind of psychological problem in adulthood. Separation anxiety can give way to school phobia, whereby the children refuse to go to school because they fear of separation from their parents. When separated, they became preoccupied with morbid fears of harm that will come to them such as their parents will leave them behind. In this study, we explore the relationship of Group Play Activities on the reduction of separation anxiety among the Kindergarten learners.

METHODS

The descriptive method of research was used in this study. This described the nature of the situation as it existed at the time of the study and explored the causes of prevailing conditions with practices and description of the activities. This method helped the researcher to categorize and summarize the collected data in order to test the hypothesis and to obtain the needed answer concerning the relationships of GPA on the reduction of separation anxiety through quantitative analysis.

RESULTS

This study practiced Group Play Activity with Kindergarten learners experiencing separation anxiety. This action research had proven the relationship and effects of GPA activities in reducing separation anxiety tendencies on kindergarten learners and that it is a good way to engage children in the therapeutic process on separation anxiety. It provides a multiple intelligences perspective and may meet the specific needs of children more effectively than the traditional "talking therapy".

The data revealed that the kindergarten learners will be able to cope with any situations they are into and are able to learn and improve their self-esteem through the different strategies and techniques to be used by the teachers and group play activities is one of the effective solutions on the reduction of separation anxiety among them.

DISCUSSIONS

The results show that the extent of separation anxiety among the kindergarten learners are very alarming thus it needs to give attention on how it will be dealt and solved. The used of different strategies and techniques such as Group Play Activities should be applied in reducing separation anxiety among the learners. The kind of strategy is necessary in building trust and rapport on learners especially the kindergarten.