본 연구는 유아가 자기존중감에 따라 모래상자놀이에서 어떻게 자신을 표현하고, 그 표현된 내용이 어떻게 변화해 가는지에 대한 구체적인 사례를 분석해 보는 데 목적이 있다. 연구 결과 자기존중감이 낮은 유아와 자기존중감이 높은 유아 모두 모래상자놀이 과정에서 동물적·식물적 단계, 투쟁의 단계, 집단에의 적응 단계를 거치면서 놀이가 이루어지고 있었고 자기존중감이 낮은 유아와 자기존중감이 높은 유아가 각 단계에서 사용했던 놀잇감의 종류에 차이가 있는 것으로 나타났다.

The present study was to investigate how young children express themselves in the sand-box play by their self-esteem and how the contents of their expressions change. Subjects were two five-year-old female children. Case 1 child with low self-esteem was classified into the low self-esteem group which usually got the lower 25% scores in the young children's self-esteem scale. On the other hand, Case 2 child with high self-esteem was classified into the high self-esteem group which usually got the higher 25% scores in the young children's self-esteem scale. This study had been conducted in the sequence of the selection of subjects, the pre-test, the administration of the sand-box play and interim test, and the post-test. The instruments used as tests were the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children, KEDI-WISC, BGT, H-T-P, and the Doll's House as a constructive play. The expressions which Case 1 child with low self-esteem had made in the sand-box play generally had shown poor mood, no dynamics and low integrity, and the conflict between the energies charged within her own internal world and the dissatisfactions suppressed in her outer world, during the animal/vegetative stage. Her favorite figures were furniture, transportation, and food. The fighting stage had shown the expressions of chaos, confrontation, and fighting. As the sessions continue, the integrity had increased by the decreases of crude, poor, and mechanical factors and then the expressions of death, revival, and energy generation had been expressed. The figures of nature, animal, and fairytale figure had been used much. Weapons and tools had been used, moreover. The stage of adaptation to the collective showed the stable and peaceful mood by expressing musical performers and audience. Human figures were used much. Case 1 with low self-esteem showed positive changes of her self-esteem, especially in the positive results of KEDI-WISC, BGT, H-T-P, and the Doll's House. The expressions which Case 2 child with high self-esteem had made in the sand-box play generally had shown mechanical array and low integrity during the animal/vegetative stage. Her favorite figures were furniture, fairytale figure, and food. The fighting stage had shown the expressions of the trial of dynamics and changes by placing certain figures around the upper center or right side of sand-box. Figures of furniture, fairytale figure, and animal had been usually used. Bright routines had been expressed in a stable and peaceful ways during the stage of adaptation to the collective. Frequently used figures had been furniture, fairytale figure, and human. Case 2 with high self-esteem showed the maintenance of high self-esteem. Positive changes were also found in the results of KEDI-WISC, BGT, H-P-T, and the Doll's House. The child with low self-esteem expressed her internal world through the sand-box play, confronted with her feeling and thought, actively accepted herself, and increased her self-esteem. The child with high self-esteem accomplished self-actualization through the sand-box play and maintained high self-esteem. It was found that sand-box play of young children who had low and high self-esteem similarly went through the animal/vegetative stage, the fighting stage, and the stage of adaptation to the collective. There was a difference between two children in their figures used in each stage. This seemed to imply the importance of representation of figures which related player's internal world to external image.

• 장윤정 | Jang, Yun Jeong