Play therapy outcome prediction: An exploratory study at a university-based clinic.

Abstract

In this study we investigated the prediction of child centered play therapy (CCPT)/nondirective play therapy on emotional and behavioral problems using archival data from 82 child clients at a university-based counseling clinic. Statistically significant predictions were found on the Internalizing and Externalizing Problems scales on the Child Behavior Checklist. Termination and family relationship concerns variables were found to be strong contributors to predicting greater improvement. Results are discussed concerning implications for clinical practice and further research.

Adlerian play therapy with students with externalizing behaviors and poor social skills.

“…This approach is based on Carl Rogers’s person-centered theory. Research published in the last decade using CCPT has been found to be effective at improving children’s academic achievement (Blanco & Ray, 2011; Blanco, Ray, & Holliman, 2012), reducing externalizing behaviors (Bratton et al, 2013; Dougherty & Ray, 2007; Muro, Ray, Schottelkorb, Smith, & Blanco, 2006; Ray, 2007, 2008; Ray, Blanco, Sullivan, & Holliman, 2009; Ray, Henson, Schottelkorb, Brown, & Muro, 2008; Schottelkorb & Ray, 2009; Schottelkorb, Swan, Jahn, Haas, & Hacker, 2015; Schumann, 2010; Tsai & Ray, 2011), reducing internalizing behaviors (Baggerly & Jenkins, 2009; Cheng & Tsai, 2014; Muro et al, 2006; Ray, 2008; Ray, Stulmaker, Lee, & Silverman, 2013; Stulmaker & Ray, 2015; Tsai & Ray, 2011), improving teacher–child relationship (Ray, 2007; Ray et al, 2008), reducing trauma symptoms (Schottelkorb, Doumas, & Garcia, 2012), reduction in somatization (Schottelkorb et al, 2015), and improvement in functioning for children with developmental delays or intellectual disabilities (Garofano-Brown, 2012; Swan & Ray, 2014; Ware Balch & Ray, 2015).…”

Counselling in UK primary schools: Outcomes and predictors of change

“…Some studies have highlighted a range of potential individual-level predictors of poorer outcomes, such as comorbidity (Liber et al, 2010) and younger age (Weisz, Weiss, Han, Granger & Morton, 1995). Concomitantly, better outcomes have been associated with particular kinds of initial problems, such as family relationships or behavioural problems (Tsai & Ray, 2011), low parental level of education and the presence of both parents in family (Gardner et al, 2009), older age and disability (Cooper, Stewart, Bunting & Sparks, 2013). School-level predictors, on the other hand, although identified as a promising area of research (Fox & Butler, 2009), have not been explored so far.…”

Examining the Impact of Child Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT) on Family Functioning

“…In accordance with this research, the U.S. Public Health Service () called for the development, research, and use of family‐centered approaches to promote children's mental health; however, there appears to be a lack of practitioners who are using such interventions, especially with families with young children. Family therapists and play therapists are two groups of professionals in particular who have frequent contact with this population (Doherty & Simmons, ; Hines, ; Kranz, Kottman, & Lund, ; Ryan, Gomory, & Lacasse, ; Tsai & Ray, ); however, practitioners within these areas have voiced concerns regarding the lack of inclusive family treatment (Haslam & Harris, ; Miller & McLeod, ; Sori & Sprenkle, ).…”