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(CCPT) Implementation Within the School System Has Been A _________________________________________________________________________________ The Effect of Child-Centered Play Therapy The Journal of Counseling Research and Practice (JCRP) on Academic Achievement with Normal Volume 3, No. 1 Functioning School Children 1-15 Pedro Blanco Ryan Holliman Janelle Farnam Alexandria Pena Texas Woman’s University Abstract This examination of normal functioning second grade students investigated the effect of child-centered play therapy (CCPT) on academic achievement. The treatment group was provided with biweekly play therapy sessions consisted of 30 minutes for a period of eight weeks. The results demonstrated the second graders who participated within the study (n=27) exhibited a statistically significant increase on the Woodcock Johnson III Total Brief Achievement Score (Mather & Woodcock, 2001) in comparison to the children within the waitlist control group (n=23). Findings advocate the usage of CCPT as an intervention for academic achievement. Play Therapy within Elementary suggested to be the most likely way Schools children will receive the mental health interventions, a service necessary for the Child-centered play therapy deemed crisis expanding among youth (CCPT) implementation within the school (Blanco & Ray, 2011). Moreover, meta- system has been a growing topic of analyses such as one by Ray et al. (2014) investigation in play therapy research. determined the use of CCPT in schools is Research showing evidence of the positive a positive intervention in a school setting. impact play therapy is having on children In a review of play therapy within the when implemented early in the school school system, Perryman (2016) stated settings, may be the cause of this growing many initial mental health issues within area of interest in the field (Ray, children are identified when children enter Armstrong, Balkin, & Jayne, 2014). Allen into the school, therefore, “it seems both and Barber (2015) indicated child-centered optimal and crucial for interventions to be play therapy, when implemented in the implemented at this point…because it is school, can ameliorate emotional and the most developmentally appropriate social issues that impact academics. method” (p. 487). Additionally, Green & Christensen (2006) further described the positive impact play Child-centered play therapy is a therapy research has demonstrated in developmentally appropriate, culturally elementary-aged children as a creative sensitive, and greatly researched and intervention used in schools to promote support intervention for elementary academic, social, and emotional school-aged children (Blanco & Sheely- development. Developing play therapy Moore 2012; Trice-Black, Bailey, & programs in the school setting has been Kiper, 2013). Within the play therapy Blanco, et al. _______________________________________________________________________________ session, children are able to express real-world school setting (Ray et al., themselves through their natural language 2014). Due to the existing evidence of the of play (Bratton, Edwards, & Landreth, efficacy of play therapy within the school 2009). Through play children can learn to setting and the accessibility of offering express themselves, accept and respect mental health care to children within the themselves, to make choices and take schools, it is imperative that this form of responsibility for themselves and those therapy becomes more utilized within such choices, to be resourceful and creative, an influential environment. and self-control (Landreth, Ray, & Bratton, 2009). Effects of Child-Centered Play Therapy on Academic Performance Play therapy is not only developmentally appropriate is has the CCPT and its influence on ability to be successfully implemented academic performance has been a with children at various academic levels prevalent topic of study in recent years in and with diverse needs (Trice-Black, an effort to incorporate play therapy more Bailey, & Kiper, 2013). In a meta- easily within the elementary school analysis, CCPT was shown to be an setting. Research suggests that play effective in-school intervention positively therapy can aid in children’s academic effecting internalizing behaviors, acquisition through the provision of externalizing behaviors, total problems, opportunities to address and subdue self-efficacy, academic performance and emotional difficulties which can delay other problems at statistically significant intellectual growth (Trice-Black, Bailey, levels (Ray, et al, 2014). CCPT provides & Riechel, 2013). Allen and Barber (2015) children with means of expression that asserted that play is instrumental for transcend language, sociopolitical, and academic readiness achievement in the cultural barriers through the use of school due to play having been nonverbal and symbolic means (Lin & demonstrated as an integral component in Bratton, 2015). It has shown to be aiding children for the proper acquirement culturally sensitive due to its ability to of language and cognition. Based on this, present empathy, acceptance, and one could infer that play therapy, when genuineness to students equally within a implemented within the school system, multicultural structure (Trice-Black, et al, would only be supportive of the 2013). development and application of these language and cognitive skills. Child-centered play therapy remains optimal due to its effectiveness However, Blanco and Ray (2011) “across presenting issues, (has) issued a study which assessed the effects demonstrated the greatest benefit for of play therapy on academic achievement broad-spectrum behavioral problems, within the school setting with students children’s self-esteem, and caregiver-child identified as academically at-risk. This relationship stress” (Lin & Bratton, 2015, study further indicated that those students p. 54). Reviewing the multiple meta- who received CCPT improved in multiple analyses over play therapy interventions, it domains of academic achievement. The has been determined that CCPT is a observed effect of CCPT could be due to positive intervention that is effective in the the environment which characterized 2 The Journal of Counseling Research and Practice (JCRP) _________________________________________________________________________________ warmth and unconditional positive regard Academic Achievement and Play towards the children that were in the Therapy with Normal Functioning experimental group. Past research Children indicated that overall behavior, academic improvement, speech improvement, and a Play therapy has proven to be an rise in self-esteem have occurred through effective intervention for normal the use of CCPT (Blanco & Ray, 2011; functioning children. According to Danger & Landreth, 2005; Kot, Landreth, Moustakas (1953) play therapy, “presents & Giordano, 1998; Post, McAllister, a unique experience for normal children Sheely, & Flowers, 2004; Perryman, 2016, (by offering) a relationship in a situation p. 500). In addition, this permissive where the boundaries are greatly environment has been theorized to give expanded” (p. 19). In this manner, the children a sense of freedom to develop child’s imaginative play can be molded internal coping strategies, responsibility into anything they want it to be. There are for their actions, and in response to no preexisting conditions for the child to implantation of this facilitative meet when entering the therapeutic environment, children have become more relationship as it honors the child for who open to learning (Blanco & Ray, 2011). they are, their actions, impulses, and When children perceive warmth, caring, projections as they express what is going and safety in their environments, they are on in their world (Moustakas, 1953). In more likely to be able to concentrate on observing how normal children engage in their learning and what is going on in the play therapy, Moustakas (1953) found that school environment (Blanco & Ray, normal children do not hesitate to express 2011). negative feelings and to take responsibility for those feelings and are not so intense Moreover, Authors (under review) and serious within their play. He also conducted a study with academically at- discovered normal children are more risk kindergarten children which spontaneous and decisive, and often determined the growth of certain academic discuss their play experiences with skills in Reading, Mathematics, and important people in their lives, including Spoken Language when children were aggressive and regressive aspects of their administered play therapy. In a follow-up play (Moustakas, 1953). Moreover, with study focused on long-term CCPT and normally functioning children, Moustakas academic achievement, findings suggest (1953) found that the most important part that a continued use of this intervention in of the play experience tends to be focused the school settings leads to gradual on the child’s relationship with the positive increases on overall academic therapist and is created in a short span of composite scores on the YCAT (Blanco, time. Ray, & Holliman, 2012). This finding supports other research that has found Blanco, Muro, Holliman, Stickley, CCPT intervention in the schools to yield and Carter (2015) examined the effects of positive results, and further suggests that CCPT on normal functioning children and this positive effect can increase gradually found the CCPT was effective in with the continued use of this intervention increasing academic achievement scores (Blanco et al., 2012). with this population.
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