Effects of Child-Centered Play Therapy for Students With Highly-Disruptive Behavior in High-Poverty Schools

摘要

Authors examine effects of child-centered play therapy (CCPT) within a service-research project. Students were referred for highly disruptive behavior by principals, with teacher input, following guidance through referral definitions and indicators provided by the authors. CCPT services were provided in high-poverty schools by counseling interns or beginning play therapists in close supervision. Findings include significant differences for treatment versus control groups and moderate to large effects from 9-session hours across total problems, externalizing, attention problems, and learning related self-efficacy, with no change in internalizing behaviors. Findings support the importance of CCPT in schools and other real-world settings for high-need children.