A longitudinal study assessing trauma symptoms in sexually abused children engaged in play therapy.

Children who have been sexually abused exhibit a variety of emotional, sexual, behavioral, and psychological problems. A great deal of interest has been generated in the use of play therapy as a clinical approach to intervention with sexually abused children. This study explores the effect of play therapy as a primary treatment modality with sexually abused children. The impact of specific traumatic symptoms and overall treatment is examined. Findings indicate that, overall, trauma symptom severity in children decreased after 6 months of play therapy. In addition, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and sexual distress scores indicated a significant decrease. Additional research is recommended to develop evaluative and systematic guidelines that will further validate the use of play therapy as an empirically supported assessment and treatment tool. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Introduction to play therapy research theme issue.

Play therapy is at a point in its history where outside forces are demanding that we look at ourselves and demonstrate that what we do has empirical value. Many of these outside forces have either ignored play therapy or have questioned, even denied, the capacity of play therapy to produce positive outcomes in therapy and counseling of children. It is from this perspective that the need for a special research theme issue was born. Detractors and supporters of play therapy need to know what the state of the art is in play therapy research, along with ways we can help move play therapy research exposure and credibility forward. Sandra Frick-Helms was invited to guest edit this first in a series of theme issues for the International Journal of Play Therapy. She in turn asked Athena Drewes to join her in coediting this issue because of her wide range of knowledge, skill, and contacts in the therapy and counseling fields. Together, they have compiled an impressive grouping of authors and researchers who offer the reader food for thought and practical tips for research application. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Introduction.

Describes the Color-Your-Life (CYL), a type of play therapy developed by the author, with which children can convey a wide range of emotions symbolically. Over the years, variations have been developed in the way the CYL could be used clinically. Originally, the author used the CYL to have children convey the affects they had experienced over the course of their lives--a sort of overall window to their lives. Articles published in the current issue of the International Journal of Play Therapy, on the CYL, suggest the need for future research. Topics that need to be addressed include the question of whether or not the color-feeling pairs used actually make a difference in the product, the possible interaction of culture and the CYL, and the need to research the assessment versus intervention aspects of the CYL. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Introduction to the premiere edition.

Play therapists are an extremely diverse lot. We come most often from the disciplines of psychology, psychiatry, social work, and education and adhere to theoretical points of view ranging from Jungian to ecosystemic to behavioral. When the creation of The International Journal of Play Therapy and a call for papers was announced in three different professional newsletters, authors from all of the above mentioned fields responded. Choosing which articles to include in this, the premiere issue, was difficult. The final selection is as representative of the entire spectrum of thought and practice current in our community as could be. We wish to offer this work as a new source of useful information and ideas about the broad field of play therapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Play therapy in Hong Kong: Opportunities and challenges.

Play therapy is a well-established therapeutic approach for working with children and families in the West. This article describes the current situation of play therapy in Hong Kong—a cosmopolitan city where East meets West. The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats confronting the development of play therapy as an extension of core graduate-level mental health training are analyzed. Through this process, a number of strategic issues central to the growth and development of professionalism in play therapy are identified and discussed. A path for the future development of play therapy for mental health professionals in Hong Kong over the next decade is presented. Possibilities for collaboration in research and practice among play therapists from all over the world are also suggested. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Ethnicity and family therapy.

Reviews the book, Ethnicity and family therapy edited by Monica McGoldrick, Joe Giordano, and John Pearce (see record 1996-98534-000). This book addresses the subject of ethnicity and how it affects one's perceptions and lifestyle as a patient and a therapist. It offers therapists comprehensive tools and information to utilize when thinking about their own ethnicity and the backgrounds of their patients. The cultural histories and views of 19 different European groups and Latino, Asian, African, and Arab cultures are explored. In addition, population statistics are offered and cultural migration histories are explored. In sum, Ethnicity and Family Therapy explores how different cultures view and utilize psychotherapy. The reviewer found this book to be clearly written and well organized and recommends that therapists read this book and then keep it as a reference to explore ethnicity in a thorough manner. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Structured play therapy: A model for choosing topics and activities.

This article presents a model to be used for structured play therapy for use with adolescents and children ages 7 yrs and older. Structured play therapy is a form of play therapy that is directive and uses planned, structured activities in almost every session. This model was developed to provide a framework for appropriate timing and sequence of structured activities. This article describes structured play therapy and how it differs from nondirective play, presents a structured play therapy model, presents specific guidelines for choosing appropriate structured activities and exercises, and presents a case study demonstrating application of the model. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Development of the Trauma Play Scale: Comparison of children manifesting a history of interpersonal trauma with a normative sample.

The purpose of this study was the continuation in the development of the Trauma Play Scale through the addition of a normative sample. The scale is an observation-based assessment designed to be used by raters to detect differences in play therapy behaviors of children who have a history of trauma versus children with no known history of trauma. The scale is used to measure posttraumatic play behaviors (intense play, repetitive play, play disruptions, avoidant play, and negative affect) of children, via video-recorded play therapy sessions, at 5-min intervals. Percentage agreement and correlation estimates of interrater reliability suggested that raters were able to achieve consensus and consistency in their ratings. Statistical analyses indicated the Trauma Play Scale has a high degree of discriminant validity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Multicultural Considerations in the Delivery of Play Therapy Services.

It is estimated that by the year 2025, the number of minority children will outnumber the number of majority children in the United States. Play therapists have an increasing need to be able to provide culturally sensitive services. This article discusses issues of culture, ethnic identity, and minority status and their relevance to the practice of play therapy. Play therapists can improve their cultural sensitivity through (a) expanding their knowledge of specific cultures of children they serve, (b) increasing their ability to understand the variety of cultural influences on a child and assessing the impact of the various influences, and (c) increasing their understanding of the ways children from minority cultures are taught to cope with minority status. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Abused women and survivor therapy.

Reviews the book, Abused women and survivor therapy by Lenore E. A. Walker (see record 1994-97960-000). Understanding the problems of abused women has come to the forefront of public attention in recent years. Corresponding to public awareness of the problem has been the developing awareness on the part of therapists of the extent to which abuse occurs among their patients. This book attempts to teach therapists how to identify, assess, and treat women who have been abused. The author proposes modifications in traditional therapy which take into account not only the impact of the form of trauma involved, but also the impact of the traditional socialization of men and women. The book is clearly organized into three sections: Part One, Types of Abuse Against Women; Part Two, Therapist Preparation and Responsibilities; and Part Three, Assessment, Crisis Intervention, and Survivor Therapy. According to the reviewer, this is an excellent book for all therapists who deal with abused women. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An exercise in values exploration for play therapists.

Counselors are ethically required to be aware of their own value systems to avoid imposing their values onto clients. This is as true for clients who are children as it is for clients who are adolescents and adults. Play therapists may tend to view children as being more in need of direction than adults in choosing their values; however, the ethical principle of autonomy applies to children as well as adults. Counselors acting in accordance with this principle allow clients to make their own choices, determine their own values, and set the course of their own lives (Remley & Herlihy, 2007). This article describes an experiential activity that can be used in classes or workshops for play therapy students or licensed play therapists to enhance their awareness in the area of values when working with children. Discussion prompts and suggestions for processing the activity are illustrated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An initial look at the outcomes for dynamic play therapy.

Recent reviews of play therapy have identified that inclusion of parents in the intervention improves outcomes. This article presents an initial study of the changes in problem behavior when children and their families are provided dynamic play therapy. Dynamic play therapy is a family intervention developed by the author in which families are helped to develop collaborative play together using art, drama, movement, storytelling, and video making. Results suggest that child behavior does improve, that parents report the development of a positive therapeutic alliance with the therapist, and that this alliance is associated with outcome. This study used an action research approach and was conducted in an ongoing child guidance clinic. Discussion of the limits and merits of this approach is presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Filial therapy: Description and rationale.

Filial therapy involves training parents, in groups of 6 to 8, to conduct play sessions with their emotionally disturbed young children, using an orientation and methodology modeled after client-centered play therapy. After training, the parents conduct their play sessions at home while continuing their weekly group meetings. Parents' sessions with their therapist begin with discussion of the play sessions, but may extend to any other areas that are emotionally relevant. Preliminary experience with 2 groups suggests that this type of method is deserving of further exploration as a method of increasing leverage of professional resources, and as a tool for gaining further insight into children's fantasy and parent-child relationships. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Legal and ethical issues in play therapy.

Play therapists work with minor children in their practice; therefore the play therapist must be cognizant of the special circumstances under the law and major professional codes of ethics that apply to this special population. Major court cases, legislation, and critical issues are condensed in this article. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Play, aggression, the preschool child, and the family: A review of literature to guide empirically informed play therapy with aggressive preschool children.

Preschool-aged children displaying high levels of aggression repeatedly have been shown to be at significant risk for continued behavior problems and other social and emotional challenges throughout their lifetimes. The present literature review seeks to summarize and integrate findings across the fields of developmental psychology, family studies, child development, and play therapy to inform play therapists' practices with this population. Specifically, findings from research in these fields hold substantial implications for empirically informed ways in which play therapists can include parents within play therapy processes. Affective quality of parent- child interactions emerges as the common theme across all existing literature and is emphasized as a critical focus for play-based therapeutic intervention. Topics for future research by play therapists focusing on this population are suggested. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Child-centered play therapy.

Presents child centered play therapy (CCPT), including the rationale, basic tenets and effectiveness of the approach. The stages of CCPT are described. As the name suggests, CCPT focuses on the child and not on his or her problems. Most children not only thrive in the play environment, but with the therapeutic contributions of the therapist, go to reach higher levels of maturity and adjustment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Child-Centered Play Therapy with Children who are Homeless: Perspective and Procedures.

Children who are homeless are one of the fastest growing populations. However, the literature on play therapy with children who are homeless is sparse. This article provides play therapists with needed perspective of prevalence, causes, and mental health impact of homelessness. A Child-Centered Play Therapy approach, which emphasizes a safe relationship based on the core conditions, is recommended. Procedures to meet the needs of children who are homeless and to enlarge the meaning of their unique play themes, such as eviction and "I'm rich," are discussed. Play therapists are encouraged to fulfill their social responsibility by providing play therapy for children who are homeless. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

PT 101: Teaching Introduction to Play Therapy at the Graduate Level.

The purpose of this article was to review a limited universe of academic syllabi from graduate "Introduction to Play Therapy" courses, in order to determine the essential and agreed-upon elements of this course. Graduate level instructors of courses with this, or similar titles provided access to their syllabi, which revealed common components among the required text, course objectives, learning methods, and assignment sections. A model syllabus incorporating these common elements was constructed. Suggestions were offered for teaching this course, and recommendations for a larger scale effort, based on the strengths and limitations of the current one. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Introduction.

The editor of this special issue on child analytic work briefly characterizes the focus of the included works. This special issue on child analytic work contains articles on child psychoanalysis, childhood play, the role of the parent in child work, and the analytic process. Two book reviews complete the picture. Child psychoanalysis richly rewards us and stimulates us toward continuous exploration, development, and understanding. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)