Therapeutic Play Continuum - Defining Variables  

Play Therapy - A description of the variables that define the applications of play used to improve children’s emotional well-being and mental health.   Play Therapy, Playtherapy, Applications of Play, Play, Defining Variables, Therapeutic Play   Therapeutic Play Continuum - Defining Variables   Twelve variables are used to help to define each level in the continuum. These variables are then used in a matrix which provides contextual definitions.  

Alternatively see the simplified definitions:  

The 12 defining variables are:

  1. Objectives of the application
  2. Types of Intervention
  3. Description & Role of the Provider
  4. Age Range (Emotional)
  5. The Degree to which Psychological Theories are applied
  6. Clinical Supervision
  7. Environment
  8. Safety Issues
  9. Play or Creative Art Content (Proportion)
  10. Quality Management Aspects
  11. Code of Ethics
  12. Degree and Type of Training


    13. Objectives (Level of Functioning)  

    The objectives of the use of play are a good place to start defining each level. The role of play ranges, through a number of levels of the continuum, from enjoyment and self-development pure play at one end to acting as an adjunct to talking therapies at the other end. One way of defining the objectives of therapy where mental health and emotional state is involved is the level of the client’s functioning. Another way of describing objectives is the severity of the condition/s that play is intended to alleviate.

    See examples below. 

    Degree of Condition
    		 Examples
    		 Impact
    Slight
    		 Hospitalisation for a minor operation.
    		 Temporary impairment of well-being; minor loss of functioning. 
    Mild
    		 Relationship issues: friendships, sibling rivalries.
    		 Some loss of well-being, ongoing impairment of functioning preventing the child reaching their full potential.
    Moderate
    		 Stress and trauma.
    		 Child feels emotionally unwell, has considerable impairment of functioning, problems need to be dealt with promptly to prevent further deterioration.
    Severe
    		 Repeated physical and sexual abuse from several sources.
    		 Mental illness or disorder; child at risk and unable to function as a normal person.

    If conditions at any level are not treated and resolved with appropriate intervention then they may progress to a higher level.  

    Intervention

    This attribute indicates the type of intervention, if any, used to achieve the objective. Some interventions are therapeutic, others are not. This attribute also leads to consideration of the nature of activities that are required.  

    Description of Role and Provider

    In these definitions it is assumed that there is a provider of care of some kind to provide, supervise or mediate the play activities. In the vast majority of cases this will be an adult but in some cases it could be another, normally older, child. This attribute helps to distinguish the level of skill required for the different applications of play.  

    Age

    Range This attribute is useful to separate some applications from others. The emotional age of the child, rather than the actual age, should be used.  

    Application of Psychological Theories

    One of the most important distinguishing points is the amount of knowledge that is needed of the informing psychological theories.  

    Clinical Supervision

    The more that interventions use psychological based techniques the greater the necessity for clinical supervision to make the client and therapy practice safe.  

    Environment

    A further distinguishing factor is the environment in which play is used. Is it for example a clinical or non-clinical environment?  

    Safety

    The environment together with the type of intervention will determine the safety considerations - physical, emotional, psychological.  

    Play Content

    Another consideration is the extent to which play is used in the application. This may range from 100% where play is the sole activity to perhaps less than 5% where play is used as an adjunct to another type of therapy or activity.  

    Quality Management

    In any application where play is administered there is a need for some form of quality management which may range from simple basic monitoring to quite complex clinical governance procedures and systems.  

    Code of Ethics

    Where any professional worker is involved with children observance of an ethical framework or code of ethics is essential. This may be one of a professional organisation such as PTUK or that of an employing organisation.  

    Degree of Training

    All of the above factors, when considered for a particular application of play, give a good indication of the degree and type of training required.  

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