PhD Scientific Days 2026

Poster Session 2.K - Mental Health Sciences

Using Puppets in Conductive Education

Name of the presenter

Goda, Monika

Institute/workplace of the presenter

Pető András Faculty

Authors

Monika Goda¹
1: Pető András Faculty

Text of the abstract

This study investigates the role of puppetry in conductive education, with a focus on its potential to enhance motivation in children with cerebral palsy. The poster outlines both the theoretical background and practical relevance of puppet-based methods, which have shown effectiveness over decades while remaining underutilized in contemporary practice.
Puppets are conceptualized as animated mediating tools that can stimulate cognitive and emotional processes, supporting motivation, mentalization, and identification. Within pedagogical contexts, puppetry may function simultaneously as a motivational, educational, therapeutic, and diagnostic instrument, contributing to complex rehabilitation and resocialization processes.
The research includes an experimental component involving microgroup sessions with children aged 3–5 years. Behavioral observations are analyzed to assess the impact of puppetry on motivation, expression, and interaction. Additionally, parents complete a pre-experimental questionnaire examining their child’s attitudes toward inanimate objects and their animation.
The findings aim to demonstrate that puppetry is a flexible and innovative resource that can expand the methodological repertoire of conductive education.
This research is supported by the EKÖP Scholarship Program.