A Meta‐Analytic Review of Child‐Centered Play Therapy Approaches

Abstract

The authors explored the overall effectiveness of child‐centered play therapy (CCPT) approaches through a meta‐analytic review of 52 controlled outcome studies between 1995 and 2010. Hierarchical linear modeling techniques estimated a statistically significant moderate treatment effect size (.47) for CCPT, as well as statistically significant relationships between effect size and study characteristics, including child's age, child's ethnicity, caregiver involvement, treatment integrity, publication status, and presenting issue.

Child-centered play therapy with young children who are anxious: A controlled trial

“…CCPT is identified as the most popular theoretical approach to play therapy (Lambert et al, 2005). Additionally, metaanalyses have reported positive and meaningful effects for children who participate in CCPT (Bratton, Ray, Rhine & Jones, 2005;Lin & Bratton, 2015;Ray, Armstrong, Balkin & Jayne, 2015).…”

Application of Standardized Observation Form in School Counselling in Taiwan: Exploratory Study with Children Exhibiting Internalizing and Externalizing Behavior Concerns

“…Empirical studies have shown the efficacy of play therapy with a variety of childhood emotional and behavioral concerns (Bratton, Ray, Rhine, & Jones, 2005;Lin & Bratton, 2015;Wang, Jang, Lian, & Wang, 2006). Specifically, Ray, Armstrong, Balkin, and Jayne (2015) reviewed studies addressing child centered play therapy in elementary schools and found it to be an efficacious treatment for internalizing problems, externalizing problems, total problems, self-efficacy, academic, and other concerns.…”

Sexual abuse intervention program: healing through art and play

“…A more recent meta-analytic review by Lin and Bratton (2015) explored 52 controlled outcome studies between 1995 and 2010 on child-centered play therapy (CCPT) approaches.…”

“…CCPT is different from other theoretical models by the determined belief that children inherently strive toward personal growth and maturity, as well as having capacity for self-directed healing (Lin & Bratton, 2015). This meta-analytic review included ethnicity as a part of the study characteristics.…”

“…It is difficult to find studies on child ethnicity because of the limited numbers of studies targeting specific ethnic groups other than Caucasian. Lin and Bratton (2015) divided the 52 studies into four categories: (a) Caucasian (more than 60% of child participants were Caucasian), (b) non-Caucasian (more than 60% of child participants were non-Caucasian), (c) mixed groups (none of the represented ethnic groups were more than 60% of total child participants), and…”