INDEX
Introduction
PTI's research policies and activities are based on our
systemic view of
play therapy practice to ensure the wellbeing of children. This shows the importance of the
evidence base upon which our competency framework, the foundation of
training, learning and practice is constructed. PTI's approach to play
therapy practice is evidence based.
In turn the evidence base is updated by original research and practice
based evidence. The main emphasis of our current research
programme is practice based evidence which is stored and analysed in the
SEPACTO national database of play therapy clinical outcomes.
This uses data derived from practice as a by product of
clinical
governance.
The outcomes have been demonstrated to be
replicable since 2008. It is also used
to justify funding on play therapy services.
When PTI was formed there was a dearth of
quantitative research upon the effectiveness of
play and creative arts therapies. The latest
findings (are based on over 8000 cases which
show that between 74% and 83% of children
receiving play therapy from PTI Members exhibit
a positive change. This continuous research
programme places PTI firmly in the lead of play
therapy research worldwide
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of Results
A summary of the results, presented in more
detail in a PTI/PTI paper 'An Effective Way
of Promoting Children’s Wellbeing and
Alleviating Emotional, Behavioural and
Mental Health Problems - the Latest
Research' shows that between 74% and
83% of children receiving play
therapy, delivered to PTI/PTI standards,
show a positive change.
The more severe
the problems the greater the percentage of
children showing a positive change.
74% for those with slight/moderate problems,
83% for those with severe problems
Age also has an effect on improvement:
Generally speaking the younger the child the
greater the percentage of children showing a
positive change: 80% at age 6 - 71% at age
12 - early help is the most
effective.
Girls show a higher
improvement rate than boys, 79% compared to
73%.
The average cost of using play and creative
arts therapies is estimated at £693 per
child. This estimate is based upon an
overall average of 15.4 sessions,
applying a cost per session of £45. For
every £1 invested annually in targeted
services designed to catch problems early
and prevent problems from reoccurring,
society benefits by between £7.60 and £9.20.
(National Economic Foundation 2011).
Play and creative therapies should therefore
give a notional return to society of at
least £5267 in the longer term. However this
does not give the full picture because there
are many short term benefits, specific to
the setting, for example: better academic
results and less stress for teachers; more
successful fostering placements; faster
response to medical treatment.
The statistics in this report are based on
analyses of data selected from
a total
database of 8026 cases, with 10,744 pre and post
therapy observations by referrers and parents
received from 507 PTI/PTI registered
practitioners.
The full six page paper
'An
Effective Way of Promoting Children’s
Wellbeing and Alleviating Emotional,
Behavioural and Mental Health Problems -
the Latest Research' is available for you
to download.
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Future Directions
It is felt that the main objective, set some five years ago, that the research priority was quantitative research to establish the effectiveness of play therapy has now been achieved in the UK. Whilst this type of research
will continue, especially in other countries to ascertain if there is a similar beneficial effect, there now needs to be
a change of emphasis. We propose to develop three main areas:
- The proportional use and the benefit of the various creative arts media that make up the ‘Play Therapy Tool-Kit’
- The effectiveness of play and creative arts therapies upon various conditions such as trauma, forms of autisim, ADHD, anger etc
- Provide more encouragement and help, in the form of data, for individual qualiitative research projects that explore new areas
Please email your comments to Jeff Thomas - Director of Research at:
jefferyht@yahoo.co.uk
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