Introduction
A recent study published in the International Journal of Play Therapy reveals how child-centered play therapy can impact social and emotional development in autistic children. Written by Salter et al. (2016), the article “The Effects of Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) on the Social and emotional growth of Young Australian Children with Autism” explores CCPT approaches within a sample of three 4 to 6-year-old Australian children. As children with autism frequently encounter complications in emotional and behavioral functioning and regulation, CCPT can be an efficient strategy to be implemented when working with such patients. Within the CCPT framework, it is crucial to understand the child’s actions and their place on the typical developmental trajectory, as well as to ensure the establishment of emotional and social attachments. Thus, based on the identified approach, the authors conducted ten individual therapy sessions with the three children chosen for the study, addressing the goals established by the patient’s parents.
Discussion
The purpose of the discussed research was to investigate the effects of CCPT on the sample of children with autism, establishing and describing the connection between CCPT and social and emotional growth. Two separate studies were performed, where the first study focused on exploring the social and emotional growth factors, while the second study investigated how the parents perceive the changes in their children’s actions. Before counseling and after it, the parents were asked to complete the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System, Second Edition, Parent Form (ABASII), and the Developmental Behavior ChecklistParent/Carer (DBC-P). ABASII was implemented to measure the children’s independent functioning and their success in interacting with other individuals in such environments as home and community. DBC-P, on the other hand, assessed a broad range of behavioral and emotional difficulties encountered by children with developmental disorders, such as autism. The therapists also recorded the participants’ behavior and emotional regulation throughout the counseling, providing additional insight into the changes initiated by the CCPT intervention. Finally, the Goal Attainment Scale was completed by the parents to examine how they perceived goal attainment after the sessions.
The data analysis procedure included creating the children’s profiles using the attained questionnaire scores and making comparisons according to the skill targeted as problematic. To understand parental reflection, scores from the GAS measure were evaluated and analyzed. The findings suggest that all children achieved improvement after the therapy, enhancing their results in the social and emotional growth aspects. Each child’s progress was non-linear, and one child’s improvement was intermittent, as the participant experienced several fluctuations in their targeted skill. Nevertheless, the overall advancement was positive for all children, who elevated their scores on social and emotional growth and functioning.
It is reported that CCPT was highly advantageous in promoting joint attention, imitation response, theory of mind, and symbolic and functional play skills, which are the necessary constituents of social and emotional growth. With these factors promoting children’s progress, the functional play in the participants’ actions diminished, and imaginative symbolic play became predominant. Finally, the parents’ reflections were primarily consistent throughout the intervention, with the parents reporting goal achievement by the end of therapy.
Conclusion
Thus, the authors conclude that CCPT can be highly beneficial for counseling children with autism, as it can help them enhance their capabilities in social and emotional functioning. In addition, CCPT can assist parents in achieving particular goals in their children’s development, addressing the aspects that facilitate growth in specific skill areas.
Reference
Salter, K., Beamish, W., & Davies, M. (2016). The effects of child-centered play therapy (CCPT) on the social and emotional growth of young Australian children with autism.International Journal of Play Therapy, 25, 78–90.