Ioanna Menikou
Cyprus University of Technology, Cyprus
Title: The effectiveness of non-directive play therapy (NDPT) on children with a medical condition: A scoping review
Biography
Biography: Ioanna Menikou
Abstract
NDPT is a psychotherapy approach used in children. It is based on the fact that play is the natural means that children use to explore and understand the world, express their thoughts and feelings, and learn self-mastery. NDPT has been developed by Virginia Axline, who was influenced by the person-centered, non-directive approach of Carl Rogers. In our knowledge, this is the first review in the field of NDPT on children with a medical condition.The aim of the review was to identify research evidence on NDPT as an intervention on children with any medical condition. The systematic literature search of databases such as CINAHL Plus, AMED, EMBASE, Ovid MEDLINE, ProQuest Central, PsycInfo, and SCOPUS revealded six studies meeting the eligibility criteria. Despite the fact that there is enough evidence on the effectiveness of NDPT on children with mental, behavioral, or academic problems, there is a paucity of evidence examining the effectiveness of NDPT on children in the medical context. However, a thematic analysis demonstrated a positive effect of NDPT on children with a medical condition on four aspects: overall adjustment, illness-related adjustment, anxiety levels, and play behaviors. The findings of the review can be used to inform programs, procedures, and clinical practice development in pediatric population in order to provide integrated and child-centered care with an age-appropriate intervention to children. Research implications are also discussed.