A School-Based Group Play/Activity Therapy Intervention with Learning Disabled Preadolescents Exhibiting Behavior Problems.

Abstract

While play therapy has been a recognized mode of treatment for children with social, emotional, and behavioral problems for decades, preadolescents may find the traditional playroom juvenile. Modifying the playroom and activities to specifically meet the needs of preadolescents, this study examined the effectiveness of group play/activity therapy as a school-based intervention with fourth and fifth grade learning disabled preadolescents exhibiting behavior problems. A pre-test, post-test control group design in which volunteer preadolescents were randomly assigned to either the control or treatment group was used. The group play/activity therapy intervention followed humanistic principles and was designed to address the cognitive and social-emotional needs of preadolescence. Statistical analysis revealed that preadolescents who participated in group play/activity therapy demonstrated a reduction in problem behavior. Effect size was calculated for each composite scale and subscale to determine practical significance of the treatment on the

Effect of short‐ and long‐term play therapy services on teacher–child relationship stress

“…For both LT and ST conditions, teachers noted a drop in their stress level related to student problems, which resulted in a significant decrease in total teacher-child relationship stress. Previous studies in play therapy have revealed that it can have a beneficial effect on children with general behavioral problems (Raman & Kapur, 1999;Shashi, Kapur, & Subbakrishna, 1999), externalizing behavioral problems (Flahive, 2005;Garza & Bratton, 2005;Kot, Landreth, & Giordano, 1998), and internalizing problems (Packman & Bratton, 2003). It seems likely that interventions (such as CCPT), designed to reduce childhood behavioral problems, would result in a reduction in overall relationship stress.…”

Play Therapy Research: Issues for 21st Century Progress

“…Another recent treatment study, conducted by some of the same authors and using almost identical study design as Bratton et al (2013), provided evidence for Adlerian play therapy as another level 2 treatment for disruptive behavior (Meany-Walen, Bratton, & Kottman, 2014). While the remainder of play therapy interventions published since the year 2000 remain at level 4, there has been a growing number of 21st-century experimental and quasi-experimental research studies indicating positive treatment effects for several presenting problems, including internalizing problems (Packman & Bratton, 2003), ADHD (Ray, Schottelkorb, & Tsai, 2007), trauma (Schottelkorb, Doumas, & Garcia, 2012;Tyndall-Lind, Landreth, & Giordano, 2001;Shen, 2002), academic problems (Blanco & Ray, 2011), delayed language skills (Danger & Landreth, 2005), teacher-child relationship problems (Ray, 2007;Ray, Henson, Schottelkorb, Brown, & Muro, 2008), and adaptation to medical problems (Bloch & Toker, 2008;Jones & Landreth, 2002;Li & Lopez, 2007;Tsai et al, 2013). The empirical evidence for medical play therapy is particularly notable for its methodological strengths and promising results.…”

“…This review of 21st century peer-reviewed and published nonfilial play therapy studies identified 18 experimental studies (Blanco & Ray, 2011;Bratton et al, 2013;Carpentier, Silovsky, & Chaffin, 2006;Danger & Landreth, 2005;Fall et al, 2002;Garza & Bratton, 2005;Jones & Landreth, 2002;Li et al, 2008;Meany-Walen et al, 2014;Packman & Bratton, 2003;Paone, Packman, Maddux, & Rothman, 2008;Ray, 2007;Ray et al, 2007Ray et al, , 2008Schottelkorb et al, 2012;Shen, 2002;Tsai et al, 2013;Wang Flahive, & Ray, 2007). While randomization is often difficult when designing an intervention-based research design, play therapy researchers have clearly responded to the need for RCTs.…”

Behavioural and emotional well-being of children following non-directive play with school staff

“…The current study sought to investigate whether similar benefits to that of play therapy interventions were found for children who engage in non-directive play with trained and supervised school staff. Research indicates positive effects of play therapy interventions on children's behaviour with reference to a range of problem areas such as anxiety and behavioural problems (Fall, Navelski, & Welch, 2002;Draper, White, O'Shaughnessy, Flynt, & Jones, 2001;Danger & Landreth, 2005;Packman & Bratton, 2003). For example, play therapy has been successful in reducing anxiety symptoms in children with special educational needs (Fall et al, 2002) and in reducing both anxiety and depression in discouraged or struggling children (Draper et al, 2001) and pre-adolescent children (Packman & Bratton, 2003).…”

“…Research indicates positive effects of play therapy interventions on children's behaviour with reference to a range of problem areas such as anxiety and behavioural problems (Fall, Navelski, & Welch, 2002;Draper, White, O'Shaughnessy, Flynt, & Jones, 2001;Danger & Landreth, 2005;Packman & Bratton, 2003). For example, play therapy has been successful in reducing anxiety symptoms in children with special educational needs (Fall et al, 2002) and in reducing both anxiety and depression in discouraged or struggling children (Draper et al, 2001) and pre-adolescent children (Packman & Bratton, 2003). In addition, a play intervention for children with behavioural/ conduct issues was successful in reducing teachers' stress about the children's anxiety, withdrawal behaviours and emotional distress (Ray, Schottelkorb, & Tsai, 2007).…”