Child Centered Play Therapy

Analysis of parent-reported data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 2011–2013 found that 10% of children ages 4–17 years were diagnosed with ADHD (Pastor et al. 2015) Boys (13.3%) are twice more affected by ADHD than girls (5.6%)(Pastor et al. 2015). A similar study found that the prevalence rate of ADHD diagnosis increased from 7.0% in 1997–1999 to 10.2% in 2012–2014(ADHD General Prevalence. (2014).

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is affecting children and adults at vast numbers. The growing numbers of people affected by Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), made the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognize the importance of educating the public. The CDC discusses the signs and symptoms, different types of ADHD, causes of ADHD, diagnosis process, treatments, and resources with the public. The CDC is a trusted agency. The CDC’s website is credible because the writers use effective appeal to logos, ethos, and pathos to educate their audience.

When I was 18, I was involved in a car accident that almost took my life, this caused me to fall into depressive state while I attended college. The depression was due to not knowing who I was as a person without football. Before the accident every aspect of my life revolved around the sport, and I was highly scouted to come the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and play football. It was this whirlwind of emotions constantly plaguing my mind by being immersed in a place that reminded me of something that I could no longer experience. With the assistance of a counselor at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, I was able to begin healing. This was a turning point in my life, and it was these sessions that sparked my interest in the field of psychology.

The increase of ADHD diagnosis has raised many questions and concerns among the public and doctors. However, the percentage of ADHD diagnosis has changed over the last several years. The rise of ADHD diagnosis is, in fact, occurring in the United States. According to (Brown University, 2013) the amount of children that received an ADHD diagnosis increased by 22 percent in a four – year period based on data from the CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also stated that the percentage of children with a diagnosis of ADHD continue to increase in the United States. The growth of ADHD diagnosis is detrimental to society because it affects how ADHD is diagnosed, treatment, and the estimated number of patients that received an ADHD diagnosis.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is classified as a syndrome that is comprised of a variety of behaviors that often arises in early childhood and is characterized by extremely high levels of motor activity, difficulties with attention span and concentrating, and/or impulsive behaviors (Cook & Cash, 2011). It has been estimated in the United States that approximately 20% of children and adolescents display signs of a psychological or behavioral disorder according to Luthy, David, Macintosh, Eden, and Beckstrand (2015). ADHD is considered one of the more prevalent psychological disorders in children, with approximately 3-7% of school-age children with an ADHD diagnosis as mentioned by Luthy et al. (2015).

The main topic of this page is information and statistics pertaining to children that possess the disorder of ADHD. It provided several statistics amongst the boys and girls that have ADHD. It also provided percentages and rates of how many children are diagnosed with the disorder. It revealed that statistically proven boys are more likely to become diagnosed with the disorder than females are. This site also provided statistics ad ratings of the different treatments that children are taking and how many American children received treatment for the disorder in 2011. There was also a percentage representing the children that may have been diagnosed with the disorder but are not receiving any type of treatment for it. There are also facts supporting that parents that may have been diagnosed with the disorder are more likely to reproduce children that suffer from the same disorder opposed to parents who have not been diagnosed or exhibited any behaviors or symptoms of ADHD. It is also quoted that children that have been diagnosed with the disorder may form a issue with maintaining any relationships or friendships amongst their peers. There was also a percentage that supported the fact that the children that suffer from the disorder of ADHD have a higher rate or major injuries and hospital visits compared to the average child. There is also a high economic cost to care and treat children that suffer from this disorder.

The increase of ADHD diagnosis has raised many concerns among doctors in the United States. In 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported new data that showed the number of children diagnosed with ADHD grew by 22 percent in a four-year period Brown University, (2013). The information from the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) raised questions and concerns about the growth of ADHD diagnosis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also stated that the percentage of children with a diagnosis of ADHD continue to increase in the United States. This information was provided by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) to inform the public and raise awareness for ADHD. Researching the growth of

In this journal article, Dr. Trudy Knowles (2010) gives advice to parents and teachers on

The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a national public health institute of the US under the department of health and human services (CDC, 2016). The CDC’s webpage on ADHD is divided into several sections with each section communicating a different type of information. The website mentions that ADHD is a childhood disorder that may last into adulthood. It further illustrates some of the effects a child suffering from this disorder might experience. Additionally, the website lists some of the signs and symptoms of ADHD. Further, it gives readers more information on the three types of ADHD, its various causes, the process of diagnosis and various treatment

The paper topic is focused on how play therapy can help children develop their behavioral and emotional structures. The primary research question for the paper is Can Play Therapy help children with emotional and behavioral issues get better? The primary hypotheses for this paper are: If play therapy can help a child overcome his self-esteem issues, then it can help the child grow emotionally and if play therapy can help a child overcome his self-esteem issues, then it can help the child grow a strong behavioral structure. The paper is divided into an introduction which gives a brief background of the topic, literature review which focuses on the results of 10 recent studies with familiar topics, the methods section, and the results sections which provides the primary results of the study and the discussions section which illustrates the lessons learnt from conducting this study as well as the differences and limitations of the study alongside the new directions that similar researches in the future could look to explore.

Often, elementary school counselors are reluctant to suggest play therapy and have perceived barriers to its efficacy. This study surveyed 259 members of the American School Counselor Association about those barriers to implementing play therapy, and the potential solutions that could be used to overcome any reluctance. The typical barriers are logical: training, administration, time, resources, and space. It is not that the counselors as a whole do not believe in play therapy, it is that they cannot always find appropriate resources to implement the tool. The study raises the awareness that in the contemporary school in which budgets and resources are extremely tight, more training, educating faculty and administrators, and even using alternative or personal funds to purchase play therapy materials are often necessary to help students.

This statistic that was taken in 2011, shows that the amount of children with ADHD has risen over the years. One reason for this is that many people have very busy lifestyles now and these teens are always on the go. People also know more about ADHD symptoms, therefore it is easier to diagnose. Also, considering the fact that this disorder is more common now, more students in each classroom are likely to be struggling with ADHD. During an interview with Mariclare Pollicelli, in a large and quiet Special Education classroom at Parker Middle School, she stated, “I am a special education teacher, so I have many ADHD students. I have 22 students and 12 of them have ADHD as their primary disability on their Individualized Education Plan”. This sample represents the large number of teens who are affected by ADHD whether it be socially in school or in their education.

ADHD is an abbreviation for attention deficit/hyper activity disorder. It is commonly referred to as a psychiatric disorder in need of therapy. The origination of the disease is in the neuro-physiological brain construct, and the main cause of the disorder is considered to be genetic (Wilson, 2012). Many children with ADHD struggle with impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattention (Unnever, Cullen, & Pratt, 2003). According to McNamara, Vervaeke, and Willoughby (2008), “attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder is the most commonly diagnosed behavioral disorder among children and adolescents. It affects between 3% and 5% of school age children” (p. 38). In a

Play is a way for children to learn about their environment and how interaction occurs within. It is through trial and error that children are able to create options; follow their own interests and show “independence in thought and actions” using their knowledge and understanding (Moyles, 2005, p.3). Children develop resilience though play. However for a number of children can experience stressful occurrences during their lives and play can often be restricted. Therefore the play worker’s role in supporting children’s play is a crucial measure towards children's development. For those that work with children require the dexterity to prompt and contribute to children’s play, which can be seen as a principle aspect of therapeutic alliance.

There is great importance placed on the therapeutic relationship in both CCPT and Gestalt play therapy. The importance is that there is a need for true connection in order for a child to properly work on their inner self, growth, development or self-regulation. Virginia Axline made principles for CCPT therapists to go by in order to help assist therapist to create a good therapeutic relationship with their clients; after a time Gary Landreth revised and added more to make eight principles to be followed. A few of those principles are “1: The therapist is genuinely interested in the child and develops a warm, caring relationship. 2: The therapist experiences unqualified acceptance of the child and does not wish that the child were different in some way. And 3: The therapist creates a feeling of safety and permissiveness in the relationship so the child feels free to explore and express self completely” (OConnor & Braverman, 2009). When a CCPT therapist is nonjudgmental, kind, caring and permissive in their relationship with a child than that child is given more courage to look further into their real self. The relationship between therapist and child/client in CCPT is so important that if creating and sustaining the relationship is not done correctly the therapy may fail (OConnor & Braverman, 2009).