Limit setting practices of play therapists in training and experienced play therapists.

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of play therapy training on graduate students' limit-setting choices in play therapy and compared their reported choice of limits with the reported choice of limits of experienced play therapists. The results indicated a significant difference between pre-training and posttraining limit-setting choices of graduate students, with more limits being chosen after training. The limits selected by students after play therapy training were similar to those chosen by experienced therapists in past studies. After training, students selected limits most frequently in the areas of physical aggression against the therapist, physical aggression against equipment, and on behaviors which endangered the child's health and safety. After training, students chose the fewest limits in the area of socially unacceptable behavior, particularly in the expression of obscenity in the playroom.Most play therapists agree that some form of limit-setting is essential to the facilitation of the therapeutic process (Axline, 1969;Bixler, 1949;Guerney, 1983; Landreth, 1991). A perplexing struggle for beginning play therapists, however, is how to maintain an accepting attitude and yet protect the child, therapist, and play materials from the child's destructive behaviors.The ability of play therapists to distinguish symbolic "destructive" behaviors from aggressive or destructive acts and to recognize and accept the child's wish or desire to act out such behaviors perhaps begins with the process of the play

Therapeutic Limits from an Attachment Perspective

“…When to set limits, how to set them and at what point, has been explored frequently in the child therapy practice literature (e.g., Haworth, 1982;Landreth, 2002). Ginott and Lebo's (1963) original research into trends in limit setting in play therapy and later replications indicated that limits on children's behaviour compromising the safety and health of children and therapists were widely used (Landreth & Wright, 1997;Rhoden et al, 1981). Non-directive practice asserts that most limits should not be set until needed.…”

You Can't Do That — Or Can You? Historical and Clinical Perspectives on Limit Setting in Child Psychotherapy

“…rent literature (Bixler, 1949;Ginott, 1959Ginott, , 1972Hayworth, 1964;Spiegel, 1989;Woods, 1993;Landreth and Wright, 1997;Lovinger, 1998;Landreth, 2002;Sugarman, 2003) is on your side, claiming that limits are important for good psychotherapy to occur.…”

Play therapy instruction: A model based on objectives developed by the Delphi technique.

“…Several authors have recommended teaching theory and history of play therapy through didactic training and teaching techniques and methods through role-playing, modeling, video recorded sessions, and providing clear definitions of specific responses play therapists should have (Moustakas, 1959;Linden & Stollak, 1969;Arnold, 1976;Guerney, 1978;Brady &Friedrich, 1982;Tanner & Mathis, 1995;Kaczmarek & Wagner, 1994;Kao & Landreth, 1995;Landreth & Wright, 1997;and Landreth, 2002).…”

“…Publications within the past ten years have acknowledged the deficit in training facilities and have indicated a need for the development of criteria for play therapy training in counselor education, psychology, and social work programs (Kao & Landreth, 1997;Tanner & Mathis, 1995;Lund, 1993, andHomeyer, 1993). Ryan (2002) conducted the largest survey of the members of the Association for Play Therapy (APT) to date.…”

“…Kao and Landreth (1997) The Play Therapy Skills Checklist is used by supervisors during the play therapy students' practicum experience. This checklist allows for the supervisor to point out strengths and weaknesses of the beginning play therapist and provides specific feedback to the student in training.…”