Outline two psychotherapeutic interventions which might be suitable for Max and critically review the evidence base for these treatment options. Due to a continuingly rising prevalence of depression in children (Hidaka, 2012), it is becoming increasingly more important to develop and adapt current psychotherapeutic interventions for use in the treatment of children. Using the case of Max, an 8 year old boy with displaying behavioural changes including social withdrawal, irritableness, lack of appetite and other symptoms of depression. He has received a diagnosis of depression and drawing from the information provided in the case study, this piece of work will apply two different psychotherapeutic interventions, play therapy and a modified …show more content…
Max ia 8 years old and his age should be considered when selecting a therapy, as children and adults are different and the traditional talking therapies that work with adults may not be as effective when used with children, (Lesniak, 2001). Bratton, Ray, Rhine and Jones, (2005) report play therapy as effective in treating a range of mental disorders, including depression. Play is a natural behaviour displayed by children and it is a medium in which they socialise, communicate and interact with the world around them. Play therapy aims to tap into these natural behaviours and provide a safe environment where children can disclose feelings towards past experiences and identify behaviours that are negatively affecting their day to day functioning and find ways to adapt these into more acceptable behaviours, (Kaugars & Russ, 2001). Case studies have highlighted the benefits and effectiveness when working with children of Max’s age. Cuddy-Casey (1987) gave 14 sessions of play therapy to an 8 year old boy with depression, who suffered from bed-wetting. A follow-up appointment 6 months after the therapy revealed that his symptoms were gone. These case studies not only highlights the effectiveness of play therapy in young children but also shows that it has good long term …show more content…
A benefit of TB-CBT is that it can be adapted to individual families and unlike traditional CBT it can be effective over a short period of time. A pilot study conducted by Cohen, Mannarino and Staron (2006), used the modified form of CBT over 12 sessions. Thirty-nine children and their parents received the therapy and their levels of depression was measured pre and post treatment and significant improvements were recorded suggested that shortened therapy is beneficial leading to modified CBT being cost effective, however there are limited randomised trials into this and it needs further evaluation (Cohen, Mannarino & Staron 2006) . It is also difficult to conclude that it was the treatment itself that led to improvement in the child as the parent also received treatment and it could be that the parent may have projected on the child. As Max’s environment may stay the same, with his mother being absent, it is also important to look at whether treatment has a sustained impact. A follow up study found TB-CBT to be well maintained 6 months after treatment, (Mannarino et al., 2012). This provides further evidence that TB-CBT could be successful in treating
This study looked at the therapeutic relationship and its influence in the process of Child-centered play therapy (CCPT). An exploratory single subject quantitative-qualitative design was used to examine therapist relational variables and their associations with changes in children’s behavior in CCPT (Hilliard, 1993; Jordans, Komproe, Tol, Nsereko, & De Jong, 2013). Specifically, we examined changes in levels of therapist process variables and their corresponding relationships with changes in children’s behaviors within and between cases to better understand therapeutic processes that impact child behavior, as well as the therapeutic relationship.
One of the primary reasons I prefer to utilize CBT is due to its compatibility with my personality. I am an organized, logical, and direct individual, all of which CBT encompasses well. CBT is a highly structured therapy. Even though there isn’t a particular order to procedures while utilizing CBT, there does tend to be a natural progression of certain steps. This aspect allows me to feel as though I am leading client’s to their goals in a logical manner. Not only that, CBT has a great deal of research backing that has proven it to be effective in treating several diagnoses such as depression and anxiety (Corey, 2013). Perhaps the best quality of CBT is the fact that it is known for having an openness to incorporating techniques from other approaches. According to Corey (2013), most forms of CBT can be integrated into other mainstream therapies (p.
The theory of therapy that I have personalized and developed is that of an Integrative Play Therapy Approach (IPT). Gil, Konrath, Shaw, Goldin & McTaggart Bryan (2015) describe this method as an approach which utilizes a combination of two or more therapeutic styles. This will allow my personal theory to be customized as needed to meet varying client needs. In developing my individual theoretical orientation of therapy, I took into consideration my experiences within the field and my previous education, as well as my own values, personality traits and my natural therapeutic style. Additionally, the setting in which this therapeutic style is being utilized is taken into account. Given this, it is important to highlight that my approach will
Wehrman, J. D., & Field, J. E. (2013). Play-Based Activities in Family Counseling. American Journal of Family Therapy, 41(4), 341-352. doi:10.1080/01926187.2012.704838
CBT has been known to cure a variety of disorders both in clinical environments and non-clinical environments. This type of therapy technique has been tested for efficacy and has proven to be highly effective. Furthermore, the future for CBT looks very positive as well. Researchers and theorist are now working on making this type of therapy available for suicide prevention, schizophrenia, and other psychopathologies.
Rye N. Child-Centred Play Therapy. In: JH Stone, M Blouin, editors. International Encyclopedia of Rehabilitation. 2010.
Studies show that TF-CBT has been effective when working with children and reducing symptoms of post-traumatic stress, depression, and behavior problems following trauma (Cary & McMillen, 2011). Bisson and Andrew (2009) state through systematic review of adults, TF-CBT performed eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR) and outperformed other treatments. The Kauffman Best Practices Project (2004) believes that TF-CBT is the “best practice” in the field of child abuse treatment.
Like the latter, an essay by Gray, P. (2016) also showed researches on play deficit. He found out that most professionals who succeeded and happy are those who were not deprived in playing. He then concluded that, play deprivation is not good for children and other things. It promotes anxiety, depression, narcissism, loss of creativity and
Shafran, R., Clark, D. M., Fairburn, C. G., Arntz, A., Barlow, D. H., Ehlers, A., . . . Wilson, G. T. (2009). Mind the gap: Improving the dissemination of CBT. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 47(11), 902-909. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2009.07.003
Both types of therapies had the specific elements that PCIT wanted to convey. One element was an emotional calm that play therapy produced in work with children. However, the calm play that the therapist and child do inside session, is far from the relationship that the parent and child may have outside therapy. By training the child’s parent to provide behavior therapy, enables treatment benefits to be longer-lasting. The use of play therapy in parent-child interaction strengthens the parent-child attachment and provides the child greater exposure to the calming therapy with their own parent. However, play therapy is not the only appropriate intervention when it comes to disciplining children. Parents get the skills need to deal with the behavioral issues by the live parent training, for setting limits and drawing back from tough discipline (Funderburk,
Before the session I will adapt a positive mind-set which consists of believing in her capabilities when it comes to problem solving (Axline, 2013: 23-35). She will not be able to learn and grow if I do not provide her with the opportunity to solve the problem by herself. I will depend on her to find her own solutions. It is my work to help her grow throughout the therapy and this can only be achieved if she does things by herself. Through using
Childhood depression has only been recognized as a real clinical problem for about twenty-two years. Before that time, children that exhibited signs that are now recognized as depression were thought to be behavioral problems that the child would grow out of. Psychiatrists believed that children were too emotionally and cognitively immature to suffer from true depression. Childhood was thought to be a carefree, happy time, void of worry and concerns and therefore it was thought that their problems were not serious enough to merit depression. Traumas such as divorce, incest and abuse were not clearly understood how they could effect children in the long range. Childhood depression differs in many aspects from adult depression and widely went unrecognized academic performance, withdrawal and rejection of friends and favorite activities. Some exhibit hyperactivity, while others complain of fatigue and illness often. Many times these symptoms are thought to ‘be just a phase’ in their children, and overlooked as signs of depression.
The logic behind this method was to get the children to be able to express themselves accurately by being comfortable and not pressured to do or say anything. When adults go to a psychologist most of the time they lay on a couch and talk about what they are feeling in order for the psychologists to understand what the patient is feeling. Young children cannot do this therefore, Klein established the play technique so children could be analyzed in the same way as adults (Melanie Klein Trust, 2015). This technique allowed “insight into early development” of young children making way for most of Klein’s later theories and work, which develops a whole new section of child psychoanalysis (Melanie Klein Trust,
This theory suggests that play plays a vital role of treating children’s disorders, children are able to gain some sense of control and alleviate their negative emotions including anxieties, fears and traumas through playing (Heidman & Hewitt, 2010; Freud, 1961). From the psychoanalytic perspective, play has a cathartic effect for children as it can assist children to cope with adverse feelings (Wolfberg, 2009, p. 32). Therefore, play is regarded as a therapeutic method to deal with the emotional problems (Wolfberg, 2009, p. 32). Moreover, this theory is of the view that play is an avenue to connect children’s past, current and future inner life (Willians, 2009, p. 575). Sigmund Freud was the pioneer who made a considerable contribution to this theory and he called “play” as the “royal road” to the child’s conscious and unconscious world (Willians, 2009, p. 575). He believed that play allows a combination of fantasy with reality, children should spend time playing every day as it is very healthy and necessarily (Willians, 2009, p. 575). Children are able to resolve psychological dilemmas, soften their worries and develop their understanding of life experiences (Wolfberg, 2009, p. 32). Erikson had further developed this theory, he recognized that the particular events are critical to shape the nature of
According to Weil and Pascal (1990), “games are educational instruments through which preparation for life is brought about by imitation of the adult world and the acquisition of such socializing characteristics as integration in a social framework, acceptance of instructions, and postponement of gratification” (p. 128). Games are a multifaceted tool in therapy according to Weil and Pascal (1990), through facilitating establishment of contact, reducing resistance, inducing spontaneity, catharsis and help the therapist to get acquainted with the issues that the client faces in a social setting. I concur that games can be a very useful tool in establishing cohesion, universality and catharsis. The adolescent can uncover parts of their personality and behavior that may not be exposed in individual therapy through role playing and games in group therapy. In my opinion, play and games are important to a child’s development as it is a child’s form of work. Children learn from their environment and those around them. I feel that children learn social skills through how others react to their ideas and games. The article explained that the clientele that this study observed were adolescents with instability in their environments. I feel that using games and play for adolescents with unstable environments permit the adolescents to