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

Peejay Bengwasan PhD

Appearances