Play Therapy Research

Play Therapy Research
Name
Institution

Part A
Why is it important to have research data supporting the effectiveness of mental health interventions with children?
Research data is a crucial tool in determining the effectiveness of mental health Interventions. Through research data, we get to filter out the best treatment from analyzing the effectiveness of each research with the aim of getting the one with the best outcome regarding quality (Lawver, 2008). It is important to note that research gets done with a view to improving the existing treatment methods. Through research, advancements have been made on how to handle children with mental illness cases like trauma. Research data also help to convince insurance companies to cover the cost. It serves as evidence that the particular research works.
What are some of the challenges to researching play therapy?
The challenges faced in research play therapy include the fact that it lacks homogeneity in how different cases are handled. It has no universal measure or method of application, therefore, it is hard to analyze the research outcome on a universal level. The child is the dictator of how the play therapy will shape (Lawver, 2008). There is, therefore, no clear roadmap on how to handle different kids. The other challenge is that there are few journals readily available for consultation on how to tackle the different challenges that arise in the play research more research outcomes need to be made available so as to make reference materials easily accessible.

What can researchers do to advance research about play therapy effectiveness?
Most of the research articles and journals are hard to find. The outcome is due to the fact that the journals are not widely circulated. There is the need, therefore, to get the research material on play therapy to the numerous databases available online for easy access to the public. An example of the databases includes CINAHL, Natural Medicines, and Joanna Briggs Institute EBP.
Alternatively, researchers can use to advance research in play therapy effectiveness that includes creating and attending seminars and workshops. When therapists attend seminars and workshops, they get the chance to learn first-hand from their colleagues through sharing their own experiences. Through the workshops, they can also share the challenges they faced in their research and get possible solutions on how to tackle the challenges from other clinicians.
More awareness needs to be created on the importance of play therapy. Sharing the achievements that play therapy accomplishes will motivate other therapists to take up the therapy (Lawver, 2008). Sharing on how play therapy elevates the social and emotional development of children and how it makes them more independent will make institutions, the government and even parents inject more resources towards championing for the success of child play therapy.
Part B
Ethnicity has little effect on lay therapy. Children during the first developmental stage rarely affiliate and segregate themselves according to their racial or ethnic background during play. There are, however, some cultural issues that affect the way a child engages when it comes to playing. From my research, I found a book that highlights on the cultural issues that affect child play (Lawver, 2008). The book is titled “Cultural Issues in Play Therapy,” and it is written by Eliana Gil and Athena A. Drewe. The book gives in-depth information on the meaning of play to the Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans and the African Americans all of which comprise the American society.

Reference
Lawver, T., & Blankenship, K. (2008). Play Therapy: A Case-Based Example of a Nondirective
Approach. Psychiatry (Edgmont), 5(10), 24–28.