Play Therapy Research Articles

Jungian Psychodrama and Nursing Education.

Nursing, by its philosophy, is the process of providing quality care with an existential, humanitarian and holistic approach. In this context, nursing education aims to develop the intellectual, emotional and social skills of students to the greatest extent by reinforcing them with ideals. The psychodrama method, which can be a significant part of the therapeutic process of individuation and self-realisation, may be seen as a way for this. Psychodrama, which is a group psychotherapy method, is practiced worldwide under different styles and schools for the therapeutic processes of individuals. Jungian psychodrama is an approach that combines analytical psychology and drama therapy and aims to discover and transform the inner worlds of individuals. This article discusses the fundamental concepts and principles of Jungian psychodrama, the relationships of psychodrama with the profession of nursing, education in this profession and how Jungian psychodrama can be employed in nursing.

Effectiveness of Drama and music therapies as health communication interventions for reducing anxiety and posttraumatic disorders among children-victims of flood

This study examined the usefulness of drama and music therapies as communication strategies for reducing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) among school children (aged 10-16) who were victims of the 2022 floods in Nigeria. The researchers randomly assigned the children to control (n=122) drama therapy (n=120) and music therapy (n=120) groups. The result of the study revealed that after the intervention, school children in the drama and music therapies (unlike those in the control group) reported a significant reduction in their PTSD and GAD symptoms; the reduction achieved statistical significance (p=0.001, ηp2 =.48). Further results revealed a significant interactive effect of gender (p=0.001) with boys reporting a significant reduction more than girls. The results showed that drama therapy contributed more to reducing PTSD symptoms, while music therapy contributed more to reducing GAD symptoms. The difference did not achieve statistical significance (p=0.23). The researchers conclude that both drama and music therapies were associated with reduced symptoms, indicating the interventions may be beneficial therapies.

Arts and psychomotor therapies in personality disorder treatment: An appropriate therapeutic entrance to personal development: A commentary.

Personality disorders (PD) are based not just on maladaptive ideas about self and others, they also are grounded on embodied patterns of behaviors and reactions to interpersonal stressors. There is growing interest in working with the body and through the body so to address automatisms that lead to suffering and dysfunctional social action. In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychology: In-Session the use of art and psychomotor therapies for these patients was explored by seven different clinical perspectives. Patients described presented with different PD and associated symptoms. The arts and psychomotor therapies deployed in personality disorder treatment are: (visual) art therapy, music therapy, drama therapy, dance (movement) therapy, and psychomotor therapy making psychotherapeutic use of the different modalities: art, music, play, role-play, performance, improvisation, dance, body awareness and movement. Interventions provide kinesthetic, sensory, perceptual, and symbolic opportunities to invite alternative modes of meaning-making, accessing own needs and wishes, and communicating them to others. In this commentary we summarize some of the different topics covered by the clinical-based papers, including working mechanisms of arts and psychomotor therapies, the importance of bottom-up emotion regulation processes, how to treat trauma in the presence of a PD, how to integrate art and psychomotor therapies in a fine-grained formulation and how to understand the process of change. Although there is a need for more empirical research, we hope this issue makes a solid case that clinicians can effectively include art and psychomotor therapies when treating the full range of PD.

An Action Research on the Development of Drama Therapy for Adolescents with Epidermolysis Bullosa through Interprofessional Team Collaboration

<p>本研究旨在透過工作者之觀點探討戲劇治療運用於遺傳性表皮分解性水皰症（本文簡稱泡泡龍）青少年成員之團體方案實踐經驗。採行動研究，結合「行動」與「研究」，歸納整理2022年戲劇治療工作者於臺灣嚴重特殊傳染性肺炎（COVID-19）第二級疫情警戒下，針對七名成員進行住宿式戲劇治療團體方案，並透過訪談六位工作者，探索疫情期戲劇治療運用於泡泡龍成員之行動方案設計、執行歷程，及戲劇治療所展現之能動性為何。本研究結果發現：（一）以實體結合線上的戲劇治療團體，讓成員能衡量自我身心狀態，提升參與的意願與可能性，且能營造兼具「治療深度」與鍊結「人際廣度」的平台，達到成員彼此間情感的支持與共鳴。（二）帶領者彈性調度、使用、創造活動空間與內容，以因應環境的不確定因素，能拓展成員被侷限的生活經驗。（三）行動方案以「過年」為主軸，營造過渡性的空間使成員能安頓身心，梳理生命故事。（四）自傳劇的創作與展演，使成員從被公共觀看的經驗中找到生活的意義感，而透過觀眾的回應可以讓觀演雙方建立非單一病理觀點，從而找到認識與理解的新視角。（五）行動前的核心價值帶來動能、行動中的工作彈性創造團體效能、行動後找回初衷的反思創造出再行動的反映。依據本研究結果可提供未來戲劇治療運用於罕見疾病泡泡龍成員之研究與實務應用之參考。</p> <p> </p><p>The purpose of this study is to investigate the experience of using drama therapy in group programs for members with hereditary epidermolysis bullosa (EB) through practitioners’ perspectives. </p> <p> This study used qualitative action research as the analytic method. Through semi-structured interviews with six drama therapy practitioners, the study explored the design of the action plan, the implementation process, and the therapeutic factors of drama therapy in serving EB members during the covid-19 epidemic. The findings of this study revealed that: (1) The "physical" combined with "online" group approach can enhance the members’ willingness and possibility to assess their physical and mental state and participate in the group. (2) By combining "physical" and "online" group approaches, we can create a platform that combines "therapeutic depth" and "interpersonal breadth" to achieve emotional support and empathy. (3) During the epidemic, workers flexibly allocate, use, and create activity space and content to expand the limited life experiences of members. (4) The action plan uses "Chinese New Year" as a metaphor to create a transitional space for members to settle down and to organize their life stories through theater activities. (5) The creation and performance of the autobiographical drama allows members to express their repressed emotions and thoughts to find a sense of meaning in their lives, and also allows the audience to build an understanding and appreciation of the non-single pathological perspective of EB members.</p> <p> </p>

The effectiveness of group play therapy using sand on social skills and behavioral problems of 5-9-year-old children in Tehran

This research was conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness of group play therapy using sand on children's social skills and behavioral problems. The statistical population included all children aged 5 to 9 years in Tehran in 1403, and among them 30 students were selected by available sampling according to the entry criteria and placed in two experimental and control groups. Then, at first, the subjects were measured by Babadi and Meshkani's life skills questionnaire (1389) and Shahim and Yousefi's children's behavioral problems questionnaire (1378) and after receiving group play therapy training using sand according to the protocol, the subjects again They completed the questionnaires. The research findings were analyzed by SPSS software using covariance analysis method and the results indicated the high effectiveness of group play therapy using sand on improving social skills and reducing children's behavioral problems

Play Therapy for Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Play Therapy for Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Treating Trauma and PTSD in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Unique Challenges Call for an Active Role in Psychotherapeutic Interventions— Case Report

ABSTRACT Contemporary research shows that patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) suffer more traumatic experiences and more post-traumatic symptoms than neurotypical patients. Autistic children are more vulnerable to trauma due to their increased sensitivity to the environment and are more at risk of suffering mistreatment from caretakers and strangers. The unique symptoms of ASD of repetitiveness, memory biases, and increased emotion regulation difficulties may increase the risk of traumatic events, creating traumatic symptoms and making the psychotherapeutic intervention more challenging. The term “autistic traumatic memory object” is offered to describe the unique sensational, emotional, repetitive qualities of rumination. A case report will demonstrate the difficulties in a therapeutic change in a child with ASD. It will demonstrate adjustments and active role participant techniques during play therapy. These interventions relate and expand ideas from the active role of the therapist working with traumatized children with autism. Neither empathy nor interpretation appeared to affect the child’s repetitive, emotionally dissociative reenactments of trauma. Active resistance and empathic refusal to collaborate with the aggressor on the part of the therapist during play helped reconstruct and process the traumatic memory and achieve therapeutic change.

Identity development of Arab drama therapists: The role of ethnic boundary work

Previous studies have suggested that creative arts therapists who work in conservative societies must adapt their Western therapeutic ideologies to collectivist and traditional norms. Less is known about how these creative arts therapists construct and maintain their professional identity in diverse sociocultural contexts. Building on the literature that emphasizes the role of ethnic boundary work in professional identity processes, we examined how Arab drama therapists maintain, challenge, and negotiate ethnic boundaries in the process of professional identity construction.Participants were 38 Israeli-Arab drama therapists (36 female) working in Israeli-Arab schools. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews (27 participants) and playback theater groups (12 participants). Thematic analysis revealed three different forms of ethnic boundary work: "Distinguishing Arab identity from drama therapy", "Drama therapy as an act of challenging ethnic and gender boundaries", and "Negotiating ethnic boundaries within the context of drama therapy".The current study emphasizes the sociocultural context of boundary work by illustrating how Israeli-Arab drama therapists define their professional identity across ethnic, gender, and political tensions. We conclude with implications for research and practice.

Effectiveness of Play Therapy Programme in Promoting Early Child Development of under-5 Children visiting Tertiary Care Hospital in Rural Settings: Study Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background Good care and conscious, mindful parenting are the essential requirements of the early childhood period. Good care in early childhood consists of mindful handling of children’s needs like hunger, care in sickness, socio-emotional needs, safety, love and affection. Good care promotes children’s development and provides a favourable environment for learning. It’s a well-known fact that hospitalization is a stressful situation for child of any age. Play is an integral part of early childhood period which is virtually restricted in hospital settings. This study will try to explore the effectiveness of play therapy delivered in hospital settings, on early child development. Methods This will be a randomized control trial conducted in the Paediatrics department of a tertiary care hospital in Wardha, India. The sample size will be 360 children, 180 each in intervention and control arm. The hospitalized children from intervention arm will receive customized Play Therapy sessions from trained research assistants and will be followed up at scheduled home visits for one year from the date of enrolment. All children will be assessed for changes in cognitive, motor and socio-emotional development scores. The differences in development scores between intervention and control groups will be compared and effect sizes of changes will be calculated. Discussion Implementation of play stimulation activities have been reported as useful strategies for promoting child development and good recovery during hospitalization. This trial will attempt to explore the effectiveness of play therapy on changes in child development scores of children from intervention group compared to the control group. The customized play therapy program will be adapted to paediatric inpatient settings, and attempts will be made to improve the Play Therapy kit for hospitalized children. Registration Clinical Trial Registry of India Registration No.: C.T.R.I./2022/03/041355, dated 24/03/2022. Protocol Version: v6 Dated 04/10/2024.

The Effectiveness of Traditional Game Therapy in Improving Social Skills in Elementary School Students 060952 Medan Labuhan District

Social skills are very important for the development of elementary school children. Traditional play therapy offers an alternative method for education that has the potential to improve social skills through group interactions and real-life experiences. This is different from the conventional approach which often centers on academic aspects. The aim of this study was to evaluate how effective traditional play therapy is in improving the social skills of children in elementary school and compare it with more conventional methods. This is the experimental design used for this study with a control group. Children in elementary school are divided into two groups. The experimental group received traditional play therapy, while the control group carried out routine activities. Data was collected through teacher observations, assessments, and social skills questionnaires before and after six weeks of intervention. The results of the analysis showed that, compared with the control group, the experimental group showed significant improvements in social skills. Communication, cooperation and conflict resolution show improvement. These results indicate that traditional play therapy is effective in improving the social skills of elementary school children. According to this research, traditional play therapy can be included in the school curriculum as a tool to improve social skills in a comprehensive and enjoyable way.

Implementasi Terapi Bermain Plastisin Terhadap Penurunan Tingkat Kecemasan Pada Anak Pre Operasi Sirkumsisi Di Klinik Rathnoe Khitan Ngawi

Introduction: There are both religious and medical reasons for performing circumcision. There are many different approaches to circumcision, but it is still one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures worldwide. Children often experience significant levels of apprehension, fear, and pain before the circumcision procedure. Negative consequences, such as uncooperative circumcision, result from uncontrollable anxiety reactions. Objective: Using plasticine play therapy, this community service project aims to reduce anxiety in adolescent patients who will undergo circumcision surgery. This volunteer activity was conducted at Rathnoe Khitan Ngawi Clinic. Method: Implementing a hands-on plasticine play therapy method, followed by discussion and assessment, was the strategy used. Before and after receiving plasticine play therapy, the children's anxiety levels were assessed. Children at Rathnoe Khitan Ngawi Clinic who were waiting to be circumcised were the beneficiaries of this community service activity. Result: The results of this PkM are the anxiety level of the participants before the implementation of plasticine play therapy, the majority of participants felt moderate anxiety as many as 17 participants (85%), and after the implementation of plasticine play therapy there was a decrease in the anxiety scale to mild as many as 17 participants (85%). Conclusion: Based on the Wilcoxon test, the p-value is 0.001, which means that the p-value <0.05, it is concluded that there is an effect of pre and post implementation of play platisin therapy on reducing anxiety levels in children pre-circumcision surgery at the Rathnoe Khitan Ngawi Clinic.

The role of the play therapist in supporting children and families following a natural disaster: A scoping review.

The predicted rise in weather-related disasters indicates that many Australian children and their families will be affected by these events in the future. Play therapy, an emerging profession in Australia, may provide valuable support to children exposed to these events. A scoping review was designed to map the existing literature and the role of the play therapist in supporting children (aged 3-12 years) and families following natural disasters, and to formulate a model to guide play therapists in the future. A systematic search of the literature was performed and a total of 25 articles were identified as relevant to the role of the play therapist in response to natural disasters. Play therapists must be mindful of the different phases of natural disaster response and how their role may vary across these phases. In the early stages post-disaster, a play therapist may be involved in psychoeducation, facilitating therapeutic play and community involvement. More formal clinical play therapy interventions that focus on the individual child or family are better suited to the latter stages of disaster response. There is a need for further research into the impact of natural disasters on children and families and interventions that aid mental health and well-being, especially for children who may be more vulnerable and potentially overlooked in the wake of such disasters. Further research is also needed into the effectiveness of play therapy as a post-disaster intervention for children.

Effect of group play therapy as holistic geriatric interventional modality on feelings of loneliness among older people: A randomized control trial.

Previous research has identified loneliness as a significant social stressor among the older adult population, and highlights the scarcity of empirical research on the efficacy of group play therapy as a method for addressing loneliness in this demographic. This study aimed to explore the impact of group play therapy on reducing feelings of loneliness among older individuals. A randomized clinical trial was carried out in 2018 on 60 older adult participants from two governmental health centers in Mashhad, Iran. The intervention group received adult-centered play therapy for 12 sessions over 6 weeks, with each session lasting 60 min. The therapy protocol combined traditional and modern games, structured into three stages: warm-up, working and closing. The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) scale was used to measure feelings of loneliness at baseline and after the intervention. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS version 21. There was a significant decrease in feelings of loneliness in the intervention group compared with the control group (P < 0.001). Additionally, a significant difference in feelings of loneliness was observed within the intervention group between baseline and follow up (P < 0.001). Group play therapy, involving a combination of traditional and modern games, can reduce feelings of loneliness among older adults. This method can promote healthy aging and improve mental health issues, such as loneliness, among older people. These findings can be utilized in healthcare centers and nursing homes for older adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 1067-1076.

Trauma-Informed Drama Therapy: Transforming Clinics, Classrooms, and Communities, 2nd ed., Nisha Sajnani and David Read Johnson (eds) (2024)

Trauma-Informed Drama Therapy: Transforming Clinics, Classrooms, and Communities, 2nd ed., Nisha Sajnani and David Read Johnson (eds) (2024)

‘Just Play’: Developing a drama therapy dyadic play intervention for children with intellectual developmental disabilities and their parents

‘Just Play’: Developing a drama therapy dyadic play intervention for children with intellectual developmental disabilities and their parents

Grasping at straws: Play therapists’ experiences utilizing play therapy for childhood body dissatisfaction.

Grasping at straws: Play therapists’ experiences utilizing play therapy for childhood body dissatisfaction.

Moving from in-person play therapy to teleplay during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Moving from in-person play therapy to teleplay during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sensory Stimulation and Structured Play Therapy in Children With Severe Acute Malnutrition

Sensory Stimulation and Structured Play Therapy in Children With Severe Acute Malnutrition

Play therapy: An effective approach to reduce anxiety in children with cancer

Cancer poses a significant challenge to public health worldwide and ranks as the second most common cause of death in children. Approximately 300,000 cases of cancer are diagnosed among children aged 0 to 19 every year [1]. The incidence of childhood cancer is increasing all over the world. A cancer diagnosis can cause serious psychological problems because cancer and admission to the hospital increase the feeling of pain, anxiety, and fear of death [2]. Children diagnosed with cancer often experience severe and persistent anxiety, which can have long-term effects on their well-being. The stress of being hospitalized, coupled with the limited understanding of their illness by medical professionals, the lack of effective coping strategies, and the pain resulting from invasive procedures and treatment regimens, all contribute to the anxiety experienced by these young patients [3].

МЕКТЕП ЖАСЫНДАҒЫ БАЛАЛАРҒА КОРРЕКЦИЯЛЫҚ ЖҰМЫС ЖҮРГІЗУДЕ ОЙЫН ТЕРАПИЯСЫН ПАЙДАЛАНУ

the problem of correctional work for children of primary school age is relevant today. In this scientific article, the authors suggest that school-age children use toys and games as a means of conducting remedial classes. Play therapy is a tool that can be used when working with both children and their parents. To illustrate the research work, the article used the questionnaire method, the bibliographic method, and the observation method. In addition, caterers from real situations were presented and the games used for corrective work and their guidance were shown. The MEGA Tulga children's development center was acquired as a research base, which has been operating on the basis of play therapy in Taraz since 2016. The center accepts children aged 3 to 14 years and conducts their correctional work. The center presents more than 30 types of toys that enhance children's intellectual abilities. In the process of proper communication with children and correctional work, it is necessary to choose the right special tools. And game therapy in this case becomes universal. Despite the fact that this area of psychology has developed in foreign countries, attention is now being paid and studied in Kazakhstan. Therefore, the topic and direction of the article do not lose their relevance.