Integrating Theory, Evidence and Action (ITEA) is a type of systematic review methodology, which was used to investigate the underlying agents of therapeutic change in one filial therapy approach, Child Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT). The Therapeutic Powers of Play (TPoP) framework was applied to recent peer-reviewed journal articles to extract evidence that TPoP are activated in CPRT. Data were deconstructed to determine the prevalence of TPoP within each sub-system of therapy: the child, parent, therapist, their relationships, and family environment. Meta-analyses revealed that play therapy with full parental involvement (filial therapy) yielded greater effect size than partial or no parental involvement (Lin & Bratton, 2021). Greater understanding about the mechanism of change in filial therapy may allow therapists to enhance the intervention and understand modifications necessary to individualise treatments for specific presenting problems or populations. A diagram will be presented to conceptualise the sequences and sub-systems in CPRT. This study highlights that filial therapy is a developmentally sensitive intervention which facilitates therapeutic change across the lifespan and throughout family systems. Filial therapy activates all TPoP except counter-conditioning fears. The highest number of TPoP were evidenced within the parent-child relationship. Filial therapy facilitates change in social relationships in families through activating attachment, social competence, empathy, and therapeutic relationships. Explicit integration of TPoP through development of a TPoP goal-setting tool, or providing specific feedback about observed activation of TPoP could potentially further strengthen the therapeutic effect of filial therapy. Further observational assessment is recommended to identify the prevalence of implicitly activated TPoP.

Griffin, L., & Parson, J. (2023). Evidencing the therapeutic powers of play to understand the mechanism of change in filial therapy. International Journal of Play Therapy, 32(2), 107–121. https://doi.org/10.1037/pla0000193

Play Therapy Primary Areas:

Seminal / Historically Significant Theories
Special Topics

Judi Parson PhD, Masters in Play Therapy (School of Psychology, Roehampton University, London); RN (AHPRA), RPT-S (APPTA)

Appearances