Main description:

Going beyond traditional play therapy, this innovative book presents a range of evidence-based assessment and intervention approaches that incorporate play as a key element. It is grounded in the latest knowledge about the importance of play in child development. Leading experts describe effective strategies for addressing a wide variety of clinical concerns, including behavioral difficulties, anxiety, parent-child relationship issues, trauma, and autism. The empirical support for each approach is summarized and clinical techniques are illustrated. The book also discusses school-based prevention programs that utilize play to support children's learning and social-emotional functioning.

Contents:

I. Play in Child Development
1. Cognitive and Affective Processes in Play, Sandra W. Russ, Julie Fiorelli, and Sara Cain Spannagel
2. Play and Interpersonal Processes Jason F. Jent, Larissa N. Niec, and Sarah E. BakerII. Play in Evidence-Based Assessment
3. Assessment and Pretend Play, Astrida Seja Kaugars
4. Measuring Parent-Child Interactions through Play, ElizabethBrestan Knight and Christie A. Salamone
5. Play, Playfulness, and Creativity in Therapeutic Assessment with Children, Deborah J. Tharinger, Gina B. Christopher, and May MatsonIII. Play in Evidence-Based Intervention
6. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy: The Role of Play in the Behavioral Treatment of Childhood Conduct Problems, Larissa N. Niec, Cheryl Gering, and Emily Abbenante
7. The Use of Play in Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Kristin M. Briggs, Melissa K. Runyon, and Esther Deblinger
8. Play Interventions for Children with Autism, Connie Kasari, Linh Huynh, and Amanda C. Gulrud
9. Integrating Play into Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Child Anxiety Disorders, Donna B. Pincus, Rhea M. Chase, Candice Chow, Courtney L. Weiner, and Jessica Pian
10. Cognitive-Behavioral Play Therapy, Sue M. Knell and Meena Dasari
11. The Importance of Play in Both the Assessment and Treatment of Young Children, Elizabeth J. Short, Maia Noeder, Suzanne Gorovoy, Michael J. Manos, and Barbara Lewis IV. Play in Evidence-Based Prevention Programs in School Settings
12. Play and Head Start, Sandra J. Bishop-Josef and Edward F. Zigler
13. Play Intervention and Prevention Programs in School Settings, Sandra W. Russ and Beth L. Pearson
14. Conclusions and Implications for the Use of Play in Intervention and Prevention Programs, Sandra W. Russ and Larissa N. Niec