The Importance of Play Therapy in Different Health Care Settings - Term Paper Example

How Does Play Therapy Help Children Deal with Difficult Life Experiences? Table of Contents I. Introduction ………………………………………………………… 3 II. Thesis Statement ………………………………………………..… 3 III. Purpose of the Study ……………………………………………... 3 IV. Problem Statement ……………………………………………….. 3 V. Definition of Word(s) …………………………………………….... 4 VI. Literature Review ……………………………………………..…… 4 a. General Information about Play Therapy ………….. 4 b. Positive Impact of Play Therapy on the Cognitive, Physical and Social Development of Children with Difficulties in Life …………………….. 6 VII. Discussion …………………………………………………………. 8 VIII. Conclusion ………………………………………………..………. 9 References ………………………………………………………………… 11 - 14 Introduction Regardless of children’s age, health condition and mental ability, each child should be given the privilege to play in order to help them enhance their cognitive, physical and emotional development as they grow older. Given that playing is an important part of children’s life experiences, many of the health care professionals today have considered the use of play therapy as one of the best therapeutic skill that could help children in times of going through difficulties in life. For this study, the researcher will conduct a literature review on the importance of play therapy in terms of enabling children to deal with difficulties in life. To determine how play therapy could enable children to positively deal difficulties in life, the researcher will examine the importance of play therapy in different health care settings. Prior to the conclusion, the researcher will discuss some ways on how to maximize the use of play therapy when dealing with difficulties in life. Thesis Statement “Play therapy enables children to have the strength to go through emotional, physical and psychological difficulties” Purpose of the Study The main purpose of the study is to enable the researcher to determine the impact of play therapy in enabling children to be able to cope with life difficulties. Problem Statement Does the use of play therapy enable children to easily deal with extreme life difficulties? Definition of Word(s) Difficulties in Children’s Life – Any forms of hardship that could hinder a child’s cognitive, physical and social development. Play Therapy – “a developmentally sensitive therapeutic modality that is used by well-trained play therapists to allow children to easily resolve their psychosocial difficulties in order to enable them to reach their optimal growth and development.” (Bratton et al., 2003) Literature Review General Information about Play Therapy When designing the type of play suitable for each child, health care practitioners should consider the cognitive, physical and social development of the child. According to von Gontard & Lehmkuhl (2003), among the five new approaches to play therapy includes: (1) the Parent-Child interaction therapy; (2) the behavioral approaches such as the Cognitive-Behavioral play therapy; (3) therapies designed for preschool childrean such as the Filial therapy, developmental play therapy and thera-play; (4) developmental play therapy; (5) the focussed of play therapies for specific disorders; as well as and (6) family therapy. Selecting the type of play is necessary to effectively arouse the child’s interest in participating in the play therapy. Depending on the number of children as well as the child’s gender, cognitive, physical and social development, health care professionals may choose to implement either the use of Child-Centred Play Therapy (CCPT), Group Play Therapy, or a Non-Directive Play Therapy. (Ray, 2008; Jones, 2002) Even though further study is required, the study of Ray (2008) shows that the application of Child-Centred Play Therapy is more effective in terms of reducing the parent-child relationship stress among children with internal and external behavioral problems as compared to the use of a Non-Directive Play Therapy. Likewise, the study of Rasmussen & Cunningham (1995) explains that the reason behind why the use of Non-Directive Play Therapy alone is not effective in terms of treating children who are facing some difficulties in life. In relation to the positive effects of using CCPT, the study of Griffith (1997) reveals that the use of existential, CCPT, the application of developmental theories and the use of expressive-play materials could effectively resolve the emotional distress of children who have gone through difficult life experiences. In general, girls and boys between the age brackets of 2 to 10 responds differently in terms of dissociation to sexual abuse such that boys requires the use of tactile such as water, sand or both whereas girls requires more visual stimulation. (Homeyer & Landreth, 1994) Among the three different types of play modality, group play therapy is commonly used as a treatment modality for children who are facing some difficulties in life since this type of modality encourages them to develop a good social relationship with other children. (Jones, 2002) There are different types of games to choose from when implementing an interactive or a one-on-one type of game. Different types of games ranges from the use simple materials like paper, crayons, blocks, puzzles the use of stuffed toys or dolls. (Shevell, 2006) The use of anatomically detailed (A/D) dolls is also recommended since a clinical-based study proves these dolls do not cause further traumatizing effects on children with life difficulties. (Simkins & Renier, 1996) In some cases, health care professionals may also select unstructured type of play in order to enable the children to learn how to control their personal thoughts and ideas and how to deal with unforeseen events caused by external factors as they learn to develop a good social relationship with people around them. (Bolig et al., 1986) In case the health care professionals are dealing with a group of children, the use of ‘the expert show’ or the use of puppets in a miniature playroom is considered to be more efficient and effective type of play therapy. (Joger & Ryan, 2007) Positive Impact of Play Therapy on the Cognitive, Physical and Social Development of Children who are Facing Difficulties in Life Aside from using the play therapeutic techniques when determining the capability of children in dealing with difficulties in life (Bolig et al., 1986), several research studies were made showing that the use of play therapy has a positive effect on a child who are going through some difficulties in life. (Ray, 2008; Hetzel-Riggin et al., 2007; Li, 2007; Hill, 2005; Jones, 2002; Griffith, 1997; Simkins & Renier, 1996) Based on the randomised controlled trial study of Li (2007), children who have gone through the process of therapeutic play were revealed to have lesser anxiety levels or negative emotions including a lower heart rate and better arterial pressures as compared to those individuals who did not receive any forms of therapeutic play. Aside from the fact that the use of play therapy could reduce children’s anxiety when dealing with life difficulties, the use of play therapy is most effective treatment in promoting the social functioning of children. (Hetzel-Riggin et al., 2007) The study of Hendon & Bohon (2008) reveals that use of music therapy is more effective in making the patients smile instead of using only play therapy. Even though there are some limitations with the use of play therapy, several studies show that play therapy is a good technique in terms of enabling these children to receive a more holistic care and treatment since the application of play therapy could effectively improve the abused children’s emotional behaviour and social interaction. (Li, 2007; Li et al., 2007; McDuffie et al., 2007; Li et al., 2006; Toth et al., 2006; Linderman & Stewart, 1999; Thorp et al., 1995; Wilson, 1988) The active participation or the personal involvement of non-offending parents in the play therapeutic work with children who are going through some difficulties in life could positively promote a more successful therapeutic outcomes. (Li et al., 2006; Hill, 2005) Aside from the the positive impact of a good parent-child relationship in times of a child’s difficulties in life, the study of Hetzel-Riggin et al. (2007) concluded that the application of cognitive-behavioral, family, and individual therapy could effectively solve the psychological distress of abused child. Discussion Despite the positive impact of play therapy on the social development of children with difficulties in life, the study of Phillips (1998) reveals that the study of play therapy in terms of its impact in the health care environment has not yet fully reached its promises of its therapeutic claims. Difficulties in life could negatively affect not only the physical, emotional, cognitive and psychological growth of victimized children. According to Cooper (2006), children who has been through a cycle of physical and emotional injuries caused by difficulties in life has a tendency to have a slow development on their play skills. For health care professionals to be able to maximize the benefits of play therapy, there is a strong need for them to evaluate the proper way of using play-based therapeutic approach based on the mental, physical, social and emotional needs of each child as well as the type of play suitable within a specific health care setting. (Wilson, 1988) Aside from the use of play therapy in treating children with difficult life experiences, a combination of different types therapeutic treatments are used to address the specific cognitive, behavioural, and psychological problems of the patient. For instance, the study of Hetzel-Riggin et al. (2007) suggest thal the application of a combined abuse-specific, cognitive-behavioral and group therapy is more effective in treating the low self-esteem of a child who is facing difficulty in life more than the use of play therapy. On the other hand, strengthening the parent-child relationship during the child’s play therapy when combined with the application of cognitive-behavioral and individual therapy could effectively solve the psychological distress of a child’s difficulties in life. (Hetzel-Riggin et al., 2007) Between a normal and authistic child, It is more difficult for health care professionals to implement play therapy among the autistic children. This is primarily because most of autistic children have an abnormal responses to sensory development particularly in terms of tactile sensitivity, auditory filtering, taste, smell, low energy and weak muscles. (Rogers, Hepburn, & Wehner, 2003) When treating autistic children with difficulties in life, the use of toy play therapy together with a deferred imitation could effectively predict the increase or decrease in the rate of the child’s communication development. (Toth et al., 2006) Sociodramatic play as well as the use of toys could lead to a positive effect on the autistic children’s play, communication and social skills. (Thorp et al., 1995) On the contrary, the study of Rogers, Hepburn & Stackhouse et al. (2003) shows that autistic children have more impaired overall imitation abilities related to oral-facial imitations as well as imitations of actions on objects as compared to children who are not autistic. Conclusion Children who have gone through difficulties in life may have either short- and/or long-term negative effect over the children’s physical, emotional, psychological and cognitive growth. For this reason, children are highly recommended to receive proper medical treatment combined with play therapy. Several studies show that the use of play therapy is effective in terms of improving the social development such as a positive social behavioral interaction among the children who are going through difficulties in life. However, health care professionals should not only focus on the use of play therapy when helping children to effectively deal with stressful condition. Instead, health care professionals should also consider using other therapeutic techniques in order to enable these children to have a balanced emotion when dealing with difficult life experiences. There are many types of play therapy. In order to effectively treat a patients who are facing some difficulties in life, health care professionals should consider combining the different types of therapy modalities that are suitable in treating the child’s primary and secondary problems. For instance, the application of cognitive-behavioral, family, and individual therapy could effectively solve the psychological distress of children with difficult life experiences whereas the application of a combined abuse-specific, cognitive-behavioral and group therapy is more effective in treating the low self-esteem of abused children who are facing some difficulties in life more than the use of play therapy alone. (Hetzel-Riggin et al., 2007) To enhance the developmental progress of children who are going through some difficult life experiences, health care professionals should encourage the non-offensive parents to be involved in the child’s play therapy. Basically, building a good relationship between parents and child could make it easier for the parents to help the child cope with some difficulties in life. References: Bolig, R., Fernie, D., & Klein, E. (1986). Unstructured Play in Hospital Settings: an Internal Locus of Control Rationale. Childrens Health Care , 15(2):101 - 107. Bratton, S., Dee, R., Rhine, T., & Jones, L. (2003). Association for Play Therapy. Retrieved April 28, 2008, from The Efficacy of Play Therapy and Filial Therapy with Children: Summary of the Meta-Analytic Findings: http://www.a4pt.org/download.cfm?ID=10935 Cooper, R. J. (2006). The Impact of Child Abuse on Childrens Play: A Conceptual Model. Occupational Therapy International , 7(4):259 - 276. Griffith, M. (1997). Empowering Techniques of Play Therapy: A Method for Working with Sexually Abused Children. Journal of Mental Health Counseling , 19(2):130 - 142. Hendon, C., & Bohon, L. (2008). 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