Single parenthood as a common psychosocial phenomenon seems to be regarded as one of the most significant issues in the psychological domain and needs to be taken into serious consideration due to emotional, psychological, and social problems created by it. With regard to the rapidly growing population of single parents and their children…

This study investigated the impact of Child-Centred Play Therapy (CCPT)/Non-Directive Play Therapy on parent-child relationship stress using archival data from 202 child clients divided into clinical behavioural groups over 3-74 sessions in a mental health training setting. Results demonstrated significant differences between pre and post testing…

Describes the three major approaches to play therapy: psychoanalytic, structured, and relationship approaches. Discussion focuses on problems of interpretation in the psychoanalytic approach, release of pent-up emotions in the structured approach, and phases of play and therapist guidelines in nondirective, relationship therapy. (RH)

This study examined the effectiveness of child centered play therapy (CCPT) with academically at-risk 1st graders. In this quasi-experimental design, twenty-one 1st grade students were assigned to the experimental group and 20 students were assigned to the no treatment control group. The children in the experimental group received two 30 minute…

Describes Adlerian method of play therapy. Claims Adlerian therapy represents an integration of the concepts and techniques of individual psychology into a method of using play to help troubled children. (Author/ABL)

Examines value of using play in counseling. Explores pragmatic ways play is used across life span and in different counseling settings. Discusses limitations of including play in counseling. Reviews premises on which play in counseling is based and some uses of play as therapeutic instrument with children, adolescents, and adults in individual,…

Counselor educators and other supervisors, who work with graduate student counseling interns utilizing Play Therapy, should be educated, grounded, and trained in theory, supervision, and techniques specific to Play Therapy. Unfortunately, this is often not the case. Therefore, a three step model was created to assist those who do not have specific…

Many children have struggled to cope with the traumatic experiences brought about by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This article recounts how the authors intervened in the lives of children and families after the storms. (Contains 3 figures.)

Following the work of Vygotsky, this paper explores three dimensions of change in play therapy: linear, additive, and emergent pivotal structures. In therapeutic play, the child expresses actions and initiates movements, sounds, and gestures. Then, seemingly "out of the blue," the child shifts such gestures to an episode containing…

Discusses the values that are expressed in play and the role of play in the development of positive values. (JMB)

A description of the play characteristics of mentally retarded children and arguments for the importance of play for these children are presented. A brief critical review of the meager literature on play with mentally retarded children indicates the need for more research on play for this group of children. (Author)

Presents an interview with Eliana Gil, the current director of the Starbright Training Institute for child abuse and neglect, play therapy, and family play therapy in Springfield, Virginia. Gil's publications and experiences have spoken to coconstructing family therapy sessions that effectively integrate the paradigms of play and family therapy.…

Although recent evidence has shown that conversational contexts may be more effective in achieving spontaneous use of language targets, many clinicians continue to employ more structured and less naturalistic contexts for their therapy. The purpose of the current article is to present a therapy approach that is structured, yet incorporates the…