Discusses cognitive-behavioral play therapy (CBPT), a developmentally sensitive treatment for young children that relies on flexibility, decreased expectation for verbalizations by the child, and increased reliance on experiential approaches. The development of CBPT for preschool-age children provides a relatively unique adaptation of cognitive therapy as it was originally developed for adults. CBPT typically contains a modeling component through which adaptive coping skills are demonstrated. Through the use of play, cognitive change is communicated indirectly, and more adaptive behaviors can be introduced to the child. Modeling is tailored for use with many specific cognitive and behavioral interventions. Generalization and response prevention are important features of CBPT. With minor modifications, many of the principles of cognitive therapy, as delineated for use with adults, are applicable to young children. Case examples are presented to highlight the application of CBPT. Although CBPT has a sound therapeutic base and utilizes proven techniques, more rigorous empirical scrutiny is needed.
OBJECTIVES OF COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL PLAY THERAPYCognitive-behavioral play therapy (CBPT) is a developmentally appropriate treatment that has been developed and used with young children (3-8 years old). CBPT is based primarily on cognitive-behavioral theories of emotional development and psychopathology. The foundation of this approach is based on work of Aaron Beck (e.g., 1964Beck (e.g., , 1976. Behind cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is the belief that behavior is mediated through cognitive processes and that an individual's thoughts determine how she or he feels and behaves in situations. Emotions are determined in large part from one's perception of events-not the event itself. As a result, the cognitions and emotions determine how a person reacts and responds to such 4
Cognitive-behavioral play therapy (CBPT) is a developmentally sensitive adaptation of cognitive therapy (Beck, 1964(Beck, , 1976 and behavioral techniques (Bandura, 1977;Wolpe, 1982) designed specifically for young children (ages 3-8 years). It is based on the integration of theories related to cognitive therapy, behavioral modification, emotional development, and psychopathology as well as on interventions derived from these theories. Behind cognitive therapy (CT) is the idea that how people view the world in large measure determines how they behave and feel and how they understand life situations. According to Beck (1967Beck ( , 1972Beck ( , 1976, a person's emotional experiences are determined by cognitions that have developed in part from earlier life experiences. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) builds on CT principles and includes additional techniques focusing on changing behavior through the use of reinforcement, role playing, and modeling. CBT was developed as a structured, focused approach to help individuals make changes in their behavior by changing the thoughts and perceptions underlying it. Over the past 50 years, CT and CBT have been applied to increasingly broader populations, with more developmentally appropriate adaptations of CT for use with younger populations (Emery,
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