The effect of non‐directive play therapy on reduction of anxiety disorders in young children

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundThere is strong evidence that non‐directive play therapy, which is also known as child‐centred play, may be useful in reducing anxiety in young children. Non‐directive play is an approach to playing where the child is given ultimate freedom rather than a practitioner impressing ideas on them.ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of non‐directive play therapy for anxiety reduction in children.MethodsFor this purpose, 20 elementary students who had been diagnosed as anxious according to the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS) were selected through random sampling and were divided into an experimental group and control group. The experimental group participated in 10 sessions of play therapy, and after finishing the sessions, the SCAS questionnaire was implemented again as a post‐test. Analysis of covariance was used to analyse the data.ResultsThe results of the study showed that scores on the anxiety scale reduced significantly in the experimental group.ConclusionsNon‐directive play therapy was useful in reducing children's anxiety, so it may be implicated as an education plan for problematic parent–child relationships. However, more studies are needed to support these results.