Effectiveness of Montage Play Therapy on Fine Motor Development Among Preschool Children: A Pre-Experimental Study
Keywords:
fine motor development, montage therapy, preschool children, developmental stimulation, early childhoodAbstract
Introduction: Fine motor development is a crucial component of early childhood growth, influencing academic readiness, independence, and cognitive performance. Delays in fine motor skills remain prevalent among preschool children, often due to inadequate stimulation. Art-based therapeutic interventions such as montage play therapy may provide structured sensorimotor stimulation.
Objectives: To analyze the effectiveness of montage play therapy in improving fine motor development among preschool children.
Methods: This study employed a pre-experimental one-group pretest–posttest design. The study involved 30 preschool children aged 4–6 years selected through total sampling. Fine motor development was assessed using the Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST). Montage play therapy was administered over two weeks (six sessions). Data analysis was performed using the McNemar test to examine differences in categorical paired data between pretest and posttest results. This test was selected because the dependent variable was dichotomous (normal and suspect) and measured in the same participants before and after intervention. Statistical significance was determined at a p-value of < 0.05.
Results: Prior to intervention, 60% of participants were categorized as “suspect” and 40% as “normal.” After intervention, 83.3% were categorized as “normal,” while only 16.7% remained “suspect.” Statistical analysis demonstrated a significant improvement in fine motor development (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Montage play therapy significantly improves fine motor development among preschool children and can be implemented as an effective stimulation strategy in early childhood education and community health settings.
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