An investigation of the impact of sandplay therapy on mental health status and resiliency attitudes in Mexican farmworker women

This study investigated the impact that sandplay therapy sessions had on Mexican farmworker women's mental health status and resilience attitudes. The participants of this study were 40 women who were born in various states in Mexico and presently reside in rural Central Florida. Twenty women participated in the control group and twenty women participated in the treatment group. The impact sandplay therapy has on participants' mental health status was measured by Outcome Questionnaire (OQ-45), which assesses progress in therapy; and Resiliency Attitudes Scale (R.A.S.), which determines resiliency attitudes. The study also includes twenty participants' transcriptions of their individual sessions to illustrate the experiences of Mexican farmworker women with sandplay therapy. Pre and post-tests revealed a significant impact on mental health status and resiliency attitudes on the treatment group. In addition, participants also reported their own conceptualization of resilience that points to the integration of social networks, community resilience, solidarity, and hope.