Dibs Storyboard

Axline conducted a case study of a 5-year-old boy, Dibs, using play therapy to address difficulties at home and school. Through weekly therapy sessions where Dibs played freely without guidance, Axline discovered Dibs' parents had unrealistic expectations that caused feelings of repression. Dibs acted out these feelings by burying a toy representing his father. The case study demonstrated how play therapy allowed Dibs to release unconscious problems and achieve a healthier personality balance.

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Dibs Storyboard

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PensbyPsy

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AXLINES CASE STUDY OF DIBS (1964) Personality development in play therapy

AIM 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 average

Dibs 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 taperecord 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 room

In 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 sand

Dibs 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 symbols

Dibss 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.

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 achieved

STRENGTH 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