The Impact of Play Therapy on Behaviors and Interpersonal Growth

Throughout early childhood development, there are many different factors (e.g, divorce, abuse, neglect, grief, adverse childhood experiences) that can negatively influence children’s behaviors. These behaviors have been researched through these factors as well as a variety of family dynamics that may further affect children’s behaviors. Play therapy promotes the act of playing as a treatment for children and is now commonly used in therapeutic settings to allow children to have an outlet for expressing complex thoughts and emotions (Koukourikos, 2021). As play therapy advances, it is often used in combination with other techniques to improve a variety of problems that children face in early development. This research synthesis sheds light upon what play therapy is and explains the process and efficiency of this treatment. The research studies that were chosen for this synthesis were based on the different factors that impact a child’s life and the use of play therapy to encourage growth in a variety of areas. While exploring play therapy as an overall process, research outcomes of play therapy in association with its effectiveness, interpersonal interactions, and behavioral changes are discussed.