This project contributes findings to the existing body of literature on play therapy and mindfulness interventions for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There is very limited research conducted on mental health clinicians who provide these interventions for children in a therapeutic setting, such as Registered Play Therapists (RPTs) from the Association for Play Therapy (APT). Thus, the current study qualitatively examined the experiences of seven participants who are Registered Play Therapist-Supervisors from APT. It was hypothesized that improvements in youths' social, emotional, and behavioral functioning will be observed when play and mindfulness interventions are utilized. Participants have been practicing as a RPT for at least one and a half years treating youth with ASD, with a minimum of eight children or adolescents with ASD, as a means to establish a baseline for expertise. The data collected through responses to 12 semi-structured interview questions and six follow-up questions were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Overall, the analysis revealed eight master themes that occurred across transcripts in varying frequencies. Participants demonstrated a shared understanding of play therapy and mindfulness, utilize an integrative treatment approach, have multiple treatment targets, and reported various benefits of play therapy and mindfulness. Additionally, participants expressed training and research needs, have an approach to developmental concerns, and emphasized play as being essential. There were also subordinate specific themes that emerged from three of the master themes. Lastly, the analysis revealed nine universal specific themes, indicating that all seven protocols endorsed the underlying notion.

Play Therapy Primary Areas:

• Special Topics
• Cultural and Social Diversity

Although play therapy (PT) has a high index of acceptance in Japan, Japanese practitioners are extremely underrepresented in extant surveys of play therapists (PTs). As a result, little is known about their unique characteristics, education/training, practices, and perceptions. To fill this gap, a modified replication of past PT survey research was conducted in Japan. The responses of 333 child-focused mental health professionals in Japan reveal that most participants are female, hold master’s degrees, and have certifications as clinical psychologists. They are likely to work in an educational or hospital setting, on a part-time basis. During their training, a majority of participants completed PT coursework, but had disproportionately few hours of supervision. Most respondents (80%) use more than one theoretical approach. The most frequently endorsed primary approaches are child-centered, psychodynamic, or eclectic. PT in Japan is most commonly used to treat school-related, social skills, and familial concerns. A majority (77.9%)of PTs perceive their work as helpful or very helpful . Four-level, within group ANOVAs revealed statistically significant main effects for differences in both therapists’ use and effectiveness ratings of psychodynamic, child-centered, CBT, and BT approaches, with CBT used less and regarded as less effective than other methods. Compared to results of prior surveys, PTs in Japan work in settings other than private practice, receive less training/supervision in CBT, and focus on somewhat different clinical issues. Findings support the need to bolster training and supervision opportunities and develop PT approaches to target the unique clinical issues Japanese PTs address.

Sudo, H., Shelby, J., Kuniyoshi, T., Ishitani, S., Tsuruta, H., & Kobayashi, T. (2023). Play therapists in Japan: Training, methods, practices, and perceptions. International Journal of Play Therapy, 32(4), 218–229. https://doi.org/10.1037/pla0000205

Play Therapy Primary Areas:

• Cultural and Social Diversity
  
• Seminal and Historically Significant Theories

Parent engagement in play therapy has been linked to successful therapy outcomes. Despite substantive empirical data demonstrating a positive relationship between parent engagement and child outcomes (Haine-Schlagel & Wash, 2015; Halbur et al., 2020), parent engagement, particularly strategies encouraging parent involvement, has been understudied. This paper presents research findings from interviews with experienced play therapists where they shared their approach to facilitating parent engagement. The findings strongly suggest that the first step in working with the parents of child clients should be building a relationship with parents through a humanistic and empathetic approach. Specific strategies to elicit parent engagement are shared in the findings. Discussions about findings and limitations of this study are included.

Jeon, M.-H., & Myers, C. E. (2023). Successful strategies for parent engagement in play therapy: Voices through humanistic approaches. International Journal of Play Therapy, 32(3), 156–167. https://doi.org/10.1037/pla0000199

Play Therapy Primary Areas:

• Seminal and Historically Significant Theories

Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT) has proven to be an effective intervention for many children, however, individual play therapy may be more beneficial for some. Therapists are advised to use their own clinical judgment to determine if CPRT may be best for their clients’ specific populations and presenting concerns. Landreth and Bratton (2020) recognized the importance of intake procedures as a screening tool for CPRT group members, however, clear guidance to help therapists screen potential members, determine potential accommodations, develop strong groups, or set clear expectations among group members for CPRT groups do not currently exist. The authors explore research outcomes from various outcome studies to develop intake procedures that guide therapists’ decision making. These procedures are explored and implications for counselor use are discussed.

Line, A. V., & Ray, D. C. (2023). Intake procedures for child–parent relationship therapy: Moving toward an evidence-based process. International Journal of Play Therapy, 32(2), 79–94. https://doi.org/10.1037/pla0000196

Play Therapy Primary Areas:

• Special Topics

The present study examined the impact of Child Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) for school aged children who present with externalizing problem behaviors. 23 participants were given 8 weekly individual sessions. For each participant, a parent accomplished the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and a teacher accomplished the Teacher Rating Form (TRF) at 3 timepoints: Pre-Therapy, Post-Therapy and 1 month Follow Up. Separate repeated measures ANOVAs performed on these outcomes revealed significant differences of Externalizing Problems across timepoints for the CBCL and TRF Externalizing Problems scale and its two subscales (Rule-Breaking and Aggressive Behaviors). A large effect size was obtained from such analyses, which indicate much improvement in behaviors in school and at home. There appears to be improvement in behaviors of the children who underwent short term CCPT, as shown by the movement from clinical levels of problem behaviors to a more normative level of functioning. Such improvements likewise lasted even a month after the intervention was administered. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Bengwasan, P. D. (2023). Short-term child-centered play therapy for school-aged Filipino boys with externalizing problem behaviors. International Journal of Play Therapy, 32(1), 22–36. https://doi.org/10.1037/pla0000191

Play Therapy Primary Areas:

• Seminal / Historically Significant Theories
  
• Skills and Methods
  
• Social and Cultural Diversity

In this article, we introduce the components of graduate play therapy instruction and the impact of COVID-19. Next, we provide examples of how instructors adapted graduate play therapy courses for virtual learning in response to COVID-19. A conversation with three students is presented, along with recommendations for continued development on this topic.

Play Therapy Primary Areas:

• Special Topics

Most counselors lack training in play therapy through university counselor education programs, which leaves novice counselors searching for workshops, institutes, conferences, or self-training to effectively meet the mental health needs of children. In this first-of-its-kind study, the researcher investigated relationships between professional development and attitudes, knowledge, and skills in play therapy among working elementary school counselors and professional counselors who are licensed. Professional development consisted of various types of training and/or APT membership. A nonrandom sample of counselors was recruited from relevant online sources in this quantitative study. Attitudes, knowledge, and skills were measured by the self-reported Revised Play Therapy Attitude–Knowledge–Skills Survey (Kao, 2009). Three hypotheses were confirmed at a statistically significant level: Counselors with university-level training had higher levels of attitudes, knowledge, and skills; knowledge in play therapy predicted the skill levels of the counselors; and APT membership related to higher levels of knowledge and skills in play therapy.

Play Therapy Primary Areas:

• Special Topics

Teachers often report a lack of training on effective ways to support the emotional needs of children. Working in schools where students experience poverty, as well as low student achievement, can be stressful for teachers. This study examined the impact of child-teacher relationship training (CTRT) on teachers’ professional quality of life, attitudes aligned with the values of CTRT, attitudes about trauma-informed care, and the ability to demonstrate the CTRT skills in the classroom. This third and final year of the project focused solely on teachers’ classroom training and behaviors, completely omitting the playroom as a training tool. The results indicate that the intervention had a significant impact on teachers’ child-centered knowledge and skills aligned with the training, as well as their ability to demonstrate the CTRT skills in classrooms. Limitations, directions for future research, and implications for school-based play therapists, school counselors, and counselor educators are discussed.

Play Therapy Primary Areas:

• Skills and Methods
• Special Topics

Children who exhibit disruptive classroom behaviors often interfere with their classmates’ learning, miss out on opportunities, and are at risk for long term negative outcomes such as premature drop out and substance use (NAMI, 2012). Treatment for children who exhibit these behaviors has been successful through a variety of approaches including individual play therapy, treatment of the family system, and school-based interventions (Eyberg, Nelson, & Boggs, 2008; McCart, Priester, Davies, & Azen, 2006; Ray, Armstrong, Balkin, & Jayne, 2014). The authors propose a plan for developing university and school relationships to support students’ mental health needs through the implementation of a pilot study in one local school district in the Southeast United States. The authors implemented Adlerian Play Therapy for children exhibiting disruptive classroom behaviors for half of the children referred for services; whereas the other half (the waitlist-control) received group AdPT after post-assessments were completed. Learned lessons for gaining school buy-in, navigating the school protocols, and conducting research to ensure quality services are discussed. Recommendations for developing university-school relations as well as areas of future research are included.

Play Therapy Primary Areas:

• Skills and Methods
• Special Topics

Children who live through adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are likely to encounter negative health outcomes in adulthood. Using a qualitative retrospective approach, the authors explored how experiences with play, expressive, and creative arts served as a protective factor for adults who were exposed to ACEs. Researchers recruited ten adults aged 25 years and older who reported four or more ACEs on a modified ACE inventory (e.g., Pliske, 2020) and did not experience negative outcomes to wellbeing, such as behavioral, physical, or chronic health conditions. Participants completed a structured family history interview and a semi-structured interview. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using grounded theory constant comparative methods. Participants noted that play and the arts provided a context for identity formation and integration of emotional and cognitive processing in relation to early trauma. Participants described how activating therapeutic powers of play, in the forms of self-expression, indirect teaching (learning through metaphor), emotional catharsis, abreaction, stress management, self-esteem, and creative problem solving (Schaefer & Drewes, 2014), attenuated the long-term impact of ACEs exposure. Play created a context for self-expression, self-care, and healing that promoted the development of posttraumatic growth following childhood trauma. Implications for intervention and social policy are discussed.

Play Therapy Primary Areas:

• Special Topics