Child-centered play therapy (CCPT) is an empirically endorsed approach for children facing specific clinical concerns and life circumstances alike. The majority of research to date has accrued data about clients from secondary sources, such as adult report and observation. The purpose of this study was to explore children's perceptions of…

This study investigated the impact of a 'Jewellery Club' on girls with social, communication and interaction difficulties. The project focussed on three girls aged seven who participated in an intervention using similar principles to the 'Lego Therapy' intervention. An action research approach was followed, where two phases of the intervention…

The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly impacted families worldwide. The long-term impacts of the pandemic's disruptions on childhood and child development may not be known for many years. Early educators can respond to challenges stemming from the disruption in the consistency of schooling and beneficial programming for early learners by generating…

Children are being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at younger ages then historically represented (Guthrie, Swinford, Notke & Wetherby, 2013). Due to increased awareness of ASD and improved diagnostic tools, younger children are receiving Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) at an early age ( Hertz-Picciotto & Delwiche, 2009). ABA…

The author demonstrates that war places children's play under acute stress but does not eliminate it. He argues that the persistence of children's play and games during periods of armed conflict reflects the significance of play as a key mode for children to cope with conditions of war. Episodes of children's play drawn from the recent Syrian…

In 1998, Sturrock and Else introduced the Play Cycle which has been integrated into both playwork theory and practice. An online survey with 157 responses found that playworkers' understanding Play Cycle varied to how they were first introduced to the theory. In addition, understandings of the six elements of the Play Cycle were significantly…

School counselors are charged with meeting the academic and personal/social needs of all students. Aggression can have a significantly negative effect on both areas in the school environment. It is imperative that these aspects are addressed in culturally and developmentally appropriate ways. Creative approaches based in play and art can be…

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a play-based program on reducing the effects of student's abuse and to improving their self-esteem. To achieve this goal, a sample was selected and composed of 60 male and female abused students. They were divided into two groups: control group and experimental group which both consisted of 30…

Phyllis Booth is a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed clinical professional counselor, a registered play therapist and supervisor, and Clinical Director Emeritus of the Theraplay Institute in Evanston, Illinois. Her professional career includes training in clinical psychology at what is now University of Chicago Medicine, teaching…

Low income male preschoolers with externalizing behaviors have continued behavior issues throughout elementary school, middle school, high school, and into adulthood and create stress for their teachers. Because of this, it is important to detect externalizing behaviors early and implement an appropriate intervention. A single subject reversal…

Children who are off-task in schools struggle with completing their work and engage in disruptive behaviors. Without intervention, these behaviors tend to worsen, putting them at risk for more serious, ongoing problems throughout life. Group counseling provides opportunities for people to practice socially useful behaviors. Using a single case…

"Messy play" is often viewed as a purely ludic play activity in early childhood settings, however, some professionals in therapeutic contexts have understood it as potentially significant for supporting young children who have experienced trauma. This article reports on a study that explored how young children who have experienced trauma…

This paper focuses on an episode of play in a primary school playground in England, which featured a group of children re-enacting elements of the television talk show "The Jeremy Kyle Show". The episode is analysed in the light of work that has identified the key elements of the talk show genre and the children's play is examined in…

In this article, the author synthesizes research from several disciplines to shed light on play's central role in healthy development. Gordon builds on research in attachment theory that correlates secure attachment in infancy with adult well-being to demonstrate how playfulness might be a lifelong outcome of secure attachment and a primary…

In this survey of the research on psychological approaches to play, the author outlines its various focuses on the similarities and differences in the thinking and behavior of individuals and groups in relation to play and on the environmental factors that influence these. She notes that although psychologists often use standard experimental…