Psychological symptoms and the use of shadow miniatures in sandplay therapy

Abstract The present study aimed to explore the relationship between shadow and psychological symptoms by analyzing shadow miniatures in sandplay therapy. A total of 121 subjects were invited to complete an initial sand tray. The category of shadow miniatures was defined by a questionnaire administered to 22 trained sandplay consultants with practical experience, through their recollection of completed cases. The results showed that the use of shadow figures was positively related to psychological symptoms; those who used shadow miniatures were likely to have psychological symptoms, especially anxiety and phobic anxiety symptoms. Logistic regression equation showed that participants with phobic anxiety symptoms tended to use the shadow figures in the initial sand tray, but those with depression tended to refuse to use the shadow figures. In conclusion, the use of shadow miniatures in an initial sand tray can indicate clients' psychological symptoms. Sandplay therapists can observe how clients use shadow miniatures in the initial sand tray as an auxiliary tool to understand their clients’ psychological states.