The Efficacy of Play Therapy

The Efficacy of Play Therapy
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The Efficacy of Play Therapy
It is important to have research data supporting the effectiveness of mental health interventions for children due to their vulnerability. Research data is also important as it provides a basis for evidence-based interventions for the children. The other significance of the research data is that it helps identify the interventions that work depending on the characteristics shown by the child being observed at the moment.
There are several challenges associated with researching on play therapy. Firstly, there is the challenge of developing new therapies that are based on current clinical theories before research commences. The other challenge is that therapists have to be trained on how to administer the manual for the new therapy. Furthermore, before conducting clinical trials, the therapy is administered in individual cases which may be costly in the long-run. Furthermore, play therapy research can also be time-consuming since the efficacy of the current clinical trial is compared with previous interventions (Urquiza, 2010). The other challenge is that once the play therapy has proved to be effective, it has to be tested further for its efficacy in community settings, and if it fails the process starts again.
There are several things researchers can do to advance research on play therapy. Collaboration with other researchers can enhance the play therapy as they will brainstorm on the different interventions possible.

Additionally, research is also enhanced by more funding of studies that aim of establishing the effectiveness of play therapy. Learning institutions can also enhance play therapy research by sponsoring graduate students who are interested in play therapy. Additionally, reducing the bureaucracies that prevent researchers from conducting play therapy research will go a long way in advancing the field. .
A number of studies have focused on the effectiveness of play therapy. Indeed, Meany-Walen, Bratton, and Kottman (2014) examine the efficacy of play therapy by using the Adlerian theory. Specifically, the authors sought to determine the effectiveness of school-based counseling interventions that use the Adlerian approach for children that show disruptive behaviors. The participants for the study were children from kindergarten and elementary schools. Furthermore, ethical issues are also observed as the parental consent was obtained before any student was included in the study. The results of the study show the efficacy of the play therapies that are based on Adlerian theory. In essence, the Adlerian theory play therapy has its basis on the use of play and metaphors which allow children to express their thoughts and feelings.
In another study, Lin and Bratton (2015) seek to examine the effectiveness of play therapy. The authors perform a meta-analytic review of controlled studies that were conducted from 1995 to 2010. The variables from these controlled studies include family demographics, treatment models, and publication bias. The studies examined the effectiveness of play therapy by examining at aspects such as child’s age, ethnicity, caregiver involvement, and treatment integrity. The limitation that the researchers recognize in their study includes the inadequate number of studies for categories such as child’s ethnicity. However, the researchers conclude that play therapy has a notable treatment effect. The other conclusion based on the review is that play therapy is mentally and culturally appropriate for children from diverse backgrounds. The recommendation from the study is that play therapy is a viable method for treatment in the field of child therapy.
References
Lin, Y. W., & Bratton, S. C. (2015). A meta‐analytic review of child‐centered play therapy approaches. Journal of Counseling & Development, 93(1), 45-58.
Meany‐Walen, K. K., Bratton, S. C., & Kottman, T. (2014). Effects of Adlerian play therapy on reducing students’ disruptive behaviors. Journal of Counseling & Development, 92(1), 47-56.
Urquiza, A. J. (2010). The future of play therapy: Elevating credibility through play therapy research. International Journal of Play Therapy, 19(1), 4-12.