• Research in Play Therapy
Resources
• Research in Play Therapy Scoring Guide.
• Research in Play Therapy Scoring Guide
• Due Date: End of Unit 9.
Percentage of Course Grade: 5%.
Research in Play Therapy Scoring Guide Grading Rubric
Criteria Non-performance Basic Proficient Distinguished
Include at least one article that concerns multicultural and marginalization issues, and at least two articles related to outcomes research related to the chosen theory.
14% Does not include at least one article that concerns multicultural and marginalization issues, and does not include at least two articles related to outcomes research related to the chosen theory. Does not include at least one article that concerns multicultural and marginalization issues, and includes at least one article related to outcomes research related to the chosen theory. Includes at least one article that concerns multicultural and marginalization issues, and at least two articles related to outcomes research related to the chosen theory. Includes at least one article that concerns multicultural and marginalization issues, at least two articles related to outcomes research related to the chosen theory, and demonstrates substantive understanding regarding own biases.
Analyze research methodologies common to the study of play therapy.
14% Does not analyze research methodologies common to the study of play therapy. Partially analyzes research methodologies common to the study of play therapy. Analyzes research methodologies common to the study of play therapy. Analyzes and evaluates research methodologies common to the study of play therapy.
Evaluate common themes in current research in play therapy.
14% Does not evaluate common themes in current research in play therapy. Identifies common themes in current research in play therapy. Evaluates common themes in current research in play therapy. Thoroughly evaluates common themes in current research in play therapy and provides connections to current practices.
Analyze culturally embedded practices and beliefs in current research literature.
14% Does not analyze culturally embedded practices and beliefs in current research literature. Explains culturally embedded practices and beliefs in current research literature. Analyzes culturally embedded practices and beliefs in current research literature. Analyzes and evaluates culturally embedded practices and beliefs in current research literature.
Evaluate effectiveness of play therapy research.
14% Does not evaluate effectiveness of play therapy research. Describes effectiveness of play therapy research. Evaluates effectiveness of play therapy research. Evaluates and analyzes effectiveness of play therapy research and provides connections to current practices.
Apply APA style to citation.
14% Does not apply APA style to citation. Partially applies APA style to citation. Applies APA style to citation. Applies error-free APA style to citation.
Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of the psychological professions.
16% Does not communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of the psychological professions. Communicates in a scholarly manner, but writing has some APA errors and inconsistencies. Communicates in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of the psychological professions. Communicates in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of the psychological professions. Supports writings with scholarly sources outside of required readings.
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• Capella Graduate Online Writing Center – APA Style and Formatting.
• iGuide: ePortfolio.
• Capella University Library.
• Capella Graduate Online Writing Center.
• Annotated Bibliography.
• PSY5246 Library Guide.
• Learner Guide APA Writing Rubric.
• APA Writing Feedback Rubric
In this assignment, you will develop an annotated bibliography comprising 3–5 research articles that are related to the work of the play therapy theory you chose in Unit 1 and the child client you used in the case study for the Unit 7 assignment.
u01d5: Topic Selection; Psychoanalytic Play Theory: Cynthia Courtneyu01d5: Topic Selection; Psychoanalytic Play Theory: Cynthia Courtney
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Psychoanalytic Play Theory
Abstract
Play therapy conceptualizes the natural and non-simulated problem-solving techniques that communicate patient’s experiences and the plausible healing processes. As a self-guide to personal acceptance and knowledge, play therapy helps solve psychosocial problems by integrating growth and development with the constructs of social dynamics. The psychoanalytic theory of play on the other hand, stresses out the desire aspects that are functional in the evaluation of play therapy, by analyzing its therapeutic value on satisfaction of attainable goals. In this case, play therapy acts as the cellar foundation while the psychoanalytic theory co-creates the aspects of building the therapy itself. That is, the evaluation of the theory on the basis of knowledge; its strengths and weaknesses, how it responds to clients’ needs and the appealing aspects, forms the functional analysis of the play therapy.
The psychoanalytic theory of play finds its strengths on the flexibility aspects whereby it promotes learning by defining roles and identity for self-regulated acceptance behavior(s). As the natural mode of expression, the theory supplements the play therapy by helping children define and monitor their motor skills in a symbolic and fantasy-based environment (Giordano, Landreth & Jones 2005).
The theory is appealing more so in the separation of developmental phase(s) whereby, for instance, the sphere stage addresses the formal and/or informal ego adjustments to the world. The microsphere stages attempt to redefine the mastering process based on the internal feelings about toys and the external environment, and the final stages where the child is introduced to the world; observing the play behavior of others and learning social rules (Badenoch, 2008).
Initially, I used to think that play therapies could apply only to cases that require formal and systematic operational settings, but integration with the informal settings is fruitful too. For instance, Cooper and Alfille (2011) observed that by symbolizing desires through play(s), the theory responds well to the clients’ needs by allowing them adjust to the external demands of reality through the incorporation of the theory’s cathartic potential; eliminating theory’s perceived weaknesses.
Conclusion
Psychoanalytic play theory plays a major role of supplementing play therapy by providing structured and unstructured approach strategies, and by offering reflective and flexible methods of analysis. In addition, the combination of cognitive and functional environmental conditions promotes the implementation of the play therapy by coordinating the material set-up in relation to personalities and the degree of satisfaction (O’Connor & Braverman, 2009).

References
Badenoch, B. (2008). Being a brain-wise therapist: A practical guide to interpersonal neurobiology. New York: W.W. Norton & Co.
Cooper, J., & Alfille´, H. (2011). A guide to assessment for psychoanalytic psychotherapists. London: Karnac Books.
Giordano, M., Landreth, G. L. & Jones, L. (2005). A practical handbook for building the play therapy relationship. Lanham: Jason Aronson.
O’Connor, K. J., & Braverman, L. D. (2009). Play therapy theory and practice: Comparing theories and techniques. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons.
Play Therapy Practice

Play Therapy Practice
Introduction
According to Bratton, Ray, Rhine & Jones (2005), play therapy is one of the widely used methods by psychologists to treat behavioral and emotional problems among children. This is because of the responsiveness of the therapy to the unique developmental needs of the children. The therapy uses play as a vehicle of communication between the therapist and the patient (Bratton et al., 2005). The therapy has been demonstrated to be very effective for various emotional and behavioral problems of both adults and children. For instance, Lawver & Blankenship (2008) successfully applies play therapy to the treatment of a six-year-old patient with oppositional defiant disorder. Ray (2008) also investigates the impact of play therapy on parent-child relationship and finds that play therapy significantly altered the parenting stress index. Therefore, play therapy is an effective method of treating various psychological disorders among patients.
However, play therapy only focuses on the non-stimulated and natural problem-solving skills in order to communicate the experience of the patients and to develop the healing process. Therefore, there is a need for the application of psychoanalytic theory of play by evaluating the therapeutic value on patient satisfaction (Waldron, Scharf, Hurst, Firestein & Burton, 2004). In other words, psychoanalytic theory provides the knowledge, the strengths and the weakness of a given play therapy. Based on play therapy and psychoanalytic theory of play, this paper will apply the later to a play therapy session for a child with a debilitating anxiety and persistent school absenteeism. The paper develops a play therapy session for the patient and applies various intervention mechanisms as per the theory of psychoanalytic play therapy. In addition, this article provides the legal, ethical and multicultural issues that might arise during the play therapy session for the child
Psychoanalytic Therapy Session and Interventions
A child name Patricia was referred to a psychotherapist. The child aged seven years old had a debilitating anxiety and persistent school absenteeism. Patricia was reported to have been staying at home frequently instead of going to school. When staying home, the child suffers from nausea, fever and vomiting. In caes, Patricia went to school; a child could leave school very early due to stomach-ache. Despite these symptoms, family doctor and paediatrician have found the girl to be of good health. Further medical history from Patricia’s parents indicates that the girl shows other signs such as alienation from other children, withdrawn, easily irritated and always taking the defensive side. Patricia’s teachers reported that the child was always mood, less jovial and had a low academic performance.
From the descriptions by the teachers and Patricia’s parents, it is evident that the child is very unhappy, alienated and lives an increasingly inhibited life. The traits of the child are also easily manifested during the psychoanalytic therapy session with a therapist. The child’s sitting position was suggestive of the psychological problems that the girl went through. For instance, Patricia sat stiffly without any form of expression, and when there was any smile, it was a nervous one. Further, the girl could not allow her mother to leave the therapist’s office. This was clearly demonstrated when the girl panicked whenever her mother moved towards the door of the therapist’s office. Upon asking, Patricia acknowledged that she often feel pain in her stomach and therefore did not want to go school. However, the child refused to give ears to the therapist who gave suggestions of the methods that could help her situations
Based on the problems that Patricia faces, the first intervention will be to create a safe and an accepting environment for the child. Patricia feels that her problem cannot be solved by the therapist and declines to hear any suggestions during the first therapy session. One of the ways of doing this is by telling the child that although the therapy would be painful and hard, it will be of great help to her situation. As argued by Porter, Hernandez-Reif & Jessee (2009), the creation of an accepting and safe environment ensures that the child feels ‘at home’ and cared for. This initial step also ensures that the child develops a sense of belonging and appreciates the importance of the therapy. Creating a safe and accepting environment also ensures that the therapist upholds the child in a similar manner that the mother would have done. In doing so, the psychoanalytic therapist strives to hold the child therapeutically and absorbs the distress and excitement that mind and body of a child could not bear. Being the initial intervention, creating a safe and accepting therapy environment ensures that the child comes for the other therapy sessions and that the needs of the child are met. In this case, the therapist can start by allowing Patricia’s mother stay in the next room or at the door to ensure that Patricia is safe and that her needs are met.
Following the successful initiation of the first intervention, the therapist can then move to the second intervention which involves the creation of an empathic atmosphere. In this case, the therapist is expected to empathise with Patricia by ensuring that he empathically listens to the child and responding promptly to her questions. This ensures that the child is deeply understood and that her perspectives are hard. As highlighted by Cooper & Alfille´ (2011), this ensures that the child is the one who drives the therapy session and not a therapy. Therefore, the child feels encoursaged and enjoys the remaining sessions of the therapy. In addition, empathy is reparative and facilitates the clinical interventions meant to accurately meet the patients at the point where the patient is neither falling fat or overwhelming emotionally. Showing empathy and not sympathy to Patricia will ensure that she takes control of the session and therefore feel part of the interventions proposed by the therapist. One of the major problems with Patricia at the start of the session was the blatant refusal to hear the proposals of the therapist. Another problem was the possible refusal to attend the therapy itself, creating an empathic atmosphere not only solves these problems but also motivates Patricia into appreciating the role of the therapist in changing her psychological state.
The creation of a safe, accepting and empathic atmosphere lays the foundation for the next intervention which involves solving the psychological problem of unhappiness. As was indicated in the medical history, Patricia often seemed unhappy with little joy if any. Developing a play mechanism that will alleviate this problem is, therefore, critical to the success of the psychoanalytic therapy. One of the ways of achieving this is by having Patricia draw pictures of happy-go-lucky children on the beaches, colourful fields of trees, butterflies and flowers. Drawing this will be very easy for Patricia because the initial interventions had adequately prepared her for this. Patricia now feels in charge and in control of the therapy and will, therefore, use the pride to draw this pictures. The pictures are very critical to the psychological development of the child in realizing the happier and friendly side of life. Children who play at the beach, flowers on plants and butterflies are symbols of happiness that can trigger Patricia into accepting the happiness that comes from life.
In addition, drawing the ‘happy pictures’ as a form of play therapy provides the child with an opportunity to express her thoughts. It is expected that the initial drawings that Patricia will make will not be ‘happily coloured, but continuous drawings will be more colourful painted. This will be an indicator of the psychological development of the child in terms of happiness. The drawings will also ensure that the child express her difficulties. Considering the psychological conditions of the child, drawing problems will be associated with the difficulties the child undergoes. Some of these difficulties can be identified by the therapist and therefore respond to them promptly. Having Patricia draw other children playing in the beach will also make her appreciate that other children are happy, and her being a child should also be happy. In general, this intervention is very important to the modification of the child’s perception about happiness and to modifying her behaviors, clarity of her own concepts of happiness and in building healthy relationships.
The next intervention will be dealing with the pains that the child often feel. The theory of psychoanalytic play therapy requires the therapist to deal with the pains that the children undergo along with helping them discover themselves. This principle of psychoanalytic theory of play will guide the interventions meant to relieve Patricia of her stomach-ache, nausea, fever and vomiting in school and at home. One of the ways of doing this is by asking the child about the stomach-aches. One of the expected outcomes is nervousness characterised by shaking, helplessness and teary. This will guide the therapist into understanding that the pain might not be physiological but rather psychological.
One of the reasons why the child should be asked about the pains and not doing laboratory diagnosis of the condition is that reports from the family doctors and paediatricians had found nothing wrong with Patricia. In order to alleviate the pain, the therapist can continuously ask the child to point where it hurts hour after hour. This should be done gently to avoid evoking emotions in the child. In Patricia’s case, the child can be asked to show where it hurts and explain the uncomfortable pains that she suffers. A continuous questioning of the pains and an explanation of the same is should provide the patients with relief and bring her back to ‘life.’ As explained by Giordano, Landreth & Jones (2005) asking a child such questions evokes good cheer, energy and a break-through from the fear and tensions that torment a child.
Finally, the last intervention for Patricia focuses on the overall psychological outcome of the therapy meant to improve Patricia’s school attendance, alleviates the pains and promotes happiness and social interactions. The theory of psychoanalytic play therapy requires the outcome of the session to reflect the patient satisfaction with the therapy outcome. In this session, the satisfaction of the patient can only be reflected in terms of school attendance by Patricia. One of the issues expected to arise during the therapy sessions is that Patricia may be reluctant to talk about her school absentee. As the therapy continues in the next two months or so, Patricia is expected to start talking about her school attendance more easily without any reservations. This can be an indicator of the success of the therapy. In summary, these interventions are meant to allow the child to put her pains, conflicts and problems to a symbolic arena without fear of being reprimanded. The expressions of these feelings free the child and therefore permits the child with a forum where she can face herself, her conflict and other people in a psychologically safer distance.
Legal, Ethical and Multicultural Issues
As highlighted by Carmichael (2006), play therapists provide their services to minor children and are, therefore, faced with circumstantial legal, ethical and multicultural issues. The application of the professional code of ethics, culture and the laws that applies to a certain population of people might affect the decisions made during a therapy session. Similarly, there are certain issues that can arise from the psychoanalytic therapy session for Patricia. For instance, the code of ethics in play therapy requires therapist to be competent, provide safety and make therapeutic agreements between him and the patient (Carmichael, 2006b). However, in this session it was difficult to make a formal agreement regarding the therapeutic sessions because Patricia was reluctant to undergo the therapy at first. The paly therapist can, however, make agreements with the child’s parents regarding the revisions to be made during the session. Carmichael (2006) also explains that some cultural issues might interfere with the therapy session as well as the outcome of the session. In this therapy session, for instance, some cultures might not believe the success of play therapy to the management of Patricia’s anxiety and school absentee problems.
References
Bratton, S. C., Ray, D., Rhine, T., & Jones, L. (2005). The Efficacy of Play Therapy With Children: A Meta-Analytic Review of Treatment Outcomes. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 36(4), 376–390. doi:10.1037/0735-7028.36.4.376
Carmichael, K. D. (2006a). Cultural Issues in Play Therapy,. British Journal of Social Work, 36(5), 876–878. doi:10.1093/bjsw/bcl076
Carmichael, K. D. (2006b). Legal and ethical issues in play therapy. International Journal of Play Therapy, 15(2), 83–99. doi:10.1037/h0088916
Cooper, J., & Alfille´, H. (2011). A guide to assessment for psychoanalytic psychotherapists. London: Karnac Books.
Giordano, M., Landreth, G., & Jones, L. (2005). A practical handbook for building the play therapy relationship. Lanham: Jason Aronson.
Lawver, T., & Blankenship, K. (2008). Play therapy: a case-based example of a nondirective approach. Psychiatry (Edgmont (Pa.?: Township)), 5(10), 24–8. Retrieved from http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=2695756&tool=pmcentrez&rendertype=abstract
Porter, M. L., Hernandez-Reif, M., & Jessee, P. (2009). Play therapy: a review. Early Child Development and Care, 179(8), 1025–1040. doi:10.1080/03004430701731613
Ray, D. C. (2008). Impact of play therapy on parent–child relationship stress at a mental health training setting. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 36(2), 165–187. doi:10.1080/03069880801926434
Waldron, S., Scharf, R. D., Hurst, D., Firestein, S. K., & Burton, A. (2004). What happens in a psychoanalysis? A view through the lens of the analytic process scales (APS). International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 85(2), 443–466. doi:10.1516/5PPV-Q9WL-JKA9-DRCK

Refer to the Theory-Based Play Therapy course project description for a complete description of what is expected for this assignment.
In Unit 10, you will post your annotated bibliography to share with your colleagues.
Note: Your instructor may also use the APA Writing Feedback Rubric to provide additional feedback on your academic writing. The writing feedback rubric does not affect your assignment grade, but its feedback may factor into the grading criteria, if professional communication and writing is a course competency. Evaluate your own work using this rubric. Refer to the Learner Guide for instructions on viewing instructor feedback.
Portfolio Prompt: You are required to save this learning activity to your ePortfolio.
Assignment Requirements
To achieve a successful project experience and outcome, you are expected to meet the following requirements.
• Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
• APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to APA (6th Edition) style and formatting.
• Number of resources: 3–5 scholarly resources.
• Length of paper: 3–5 typed double-spaced pages.
• Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.
• Badenoch, B. (2008). Being a brain-wise therapist: A practical guide to interpersonal neurobiology. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN: 9780393705546.
Giordano, M. A., Landreth, G., & Jones, L. (2005). A practical handbook for building the play therapy relationship. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN: 9780765701114.
O’Connor, K. J., & Braverman, L. D. (2009). Play therapy theory and practice: Comparing theories and techniques (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. ISBN: 9780470122365.