one of two main types of group therapy defined by Russian-born U.S. psychotherapist Samuel Richard Slavson (1890–1981), the other being analytic group psychotherapy. Designed for children 6 to 12 years old, activity group therapy emphasizes participation in games, crafts, and other age-appropriate activities. Its deliberate lack of restraint and absence of interpretation are intended to provide a permissive, nonthreatening atmosphere that encourages children to express their feelings, the effect of which is believed to be fundamental change in personality structure. Slavson introduced activity group therapy in 1934 as a response to the distinct needs of individuals in this age group, which he saw as resulting from their weak ego organization, the basic narcissistic quality of their libido, and the surface nature of their unconscious.