The purpose of this study was to ascertain effects of individual client-centered play
therapy on sexually abused children’s mood, self-concept, and social competence. A
weekly client-centered play therapy protocol was utilized with 26 cases of 3 to 9 year-old
sexually abused children for approximately ten sessions. All 26 subjects and parents completed
an assessment battery before and immediately after treatment, and 24 cases completed a
two-month follow-up battery. Overall, findings indicate mixed support for the efficacy of play
therapy. Although there was initial support for improvement in the childrens’
perceptions of competency, other group comparison results indicated no statistical
significance. Utilizing the Reliable Change Index formula, 8 children clinically improved, 4
deteriorated, 4 improved with follow-up deterioration, and 8 cases indicated no significant
change. Additional qualitative severity comparisons, research limitations, and a discussion of
the impact on current practice follow.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.