earticle

영어

The purpose of this paper is to understand and express emotions and experiences from the perspective of others through empathy, which is crucial for maintaining social relationships. The smooth formation of interpersonal relationships through the physical activity of children with disabilities holds significant meaning. Children with disabilities often lack opportunities for interaction with their peers compared to typical children, and the absence of effective communication methods poses difficulties in forming relationships. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of a movement education program on enhancing empathy in children with disabilities. The program was implemented for 12 weeks from April to June 2023, involving five children with disabilities. The movement education program comprised 12 topics, encompassing physical, emotional, and cognitive domains. Empathy was measured in two areas: cognitive empathy and emotional empathy. The results indicated improvement in both cognitive and emotional empathy after the program compared to the pre-assessment. The rate of progress varied depending on the type and severity of the disability, but overall, positive changes in the development of empathy were observed. Through this research, it is hoped that movement programs can be practically utilized as a valuable resource.