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Why play? Thoughts on evidence‐based treatments and why play therapy is still relevant
Author(s) -
BoyleToledo Kiera
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
the brown university child and adolescent behavior letter
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1556-7575
pISSN - 1058-1073
DOI - 10.1002/cbl.30354
Subject(s) - popularity , randomized controlled trial , psychotherapist , prestige , medical diagnosis , psychology , evidence based medicine , medicine , intensive care medicine , clinical psychology , alternative medicine , social psychology , surgery , linguistics , philosophy , pathology
In the current age of managed care and evidence‐based treatments, play therapy has declined in popularity and prestige. Other treatments offer more concrete techniques and means of achieving measurable outcomes. They have been studied using randomized clinical trials, providing solid evidence that they are effective at treating particular diagnoses and symptoms. Although some preliminary evidence exists to back play therapy as an effective treatment for certain presenting problems, it lacks the evidence base of other treatments. Why, then, do child therapists still use play therapy?