An Overview of Play Therapy

BACKGROUND: Play is an essential parameter of children's growth and expression and this is the reason of why the use of play therapy is considered as fundamental means of preventing and dealing with problems and difficulties presented to children. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to review the parameters related to this issue, emphasizing the efficacy of this therapeutic approach to various problems of children. METHODS: A review of the recent literature on the issue, searching through Greek and international databases (Medline, Heal-link), in English and Greek language. RESULTS: The review shows that play therapy as a form of prevention and treatment is suitable mainly for preschool and school age children. It is addressed to children who are in a transition period of their lives (after a divorce, a loss), with difficulties in managing feelings, in socializing or children who have behavioral problems. It is also addressed to children who have been witnesses of domestic violence, who have suffered some form of abuse, children who are to undergo a major surgery or those who have speech disorders. Furthermore, it is suitable for children who have some kind of developmental disorder (autism or attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder). Its efficiency is demonstrated by numerous research papers reporting a significant decrease of negative emotions and behaviors by its use. CONCLUSION: Play therapy is an alternative proposal of intervention on important issues related to children. Its implementation and value is widely known and is constantly expanding. The only condition for its implementation is the correct theoretical training of the professionals and the proper diagnosis

Autism · Developmental psychology · Feeling · Psychiatry · Psychotherapist · Art Therapy and Mental Health · Child Therapy and Development · Medicine · Psychological Treatments and Assessments · Psychology · Social Psychology

• Resilience in Children Survivors of Armed Conflict

  Open Access•Irfan Fayaz•Journal of Child & Adolescent…•2026

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• Play therapy for children with Autism

  Open Access•Suma Raju, Aiswarya Latheesh et al.•Child Language Teaching and Therapy•2026

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• Effects of improved creative play interventions on social communication, behavioral, and cognitive function in children with autism spectrum disorder

  Open Access•Mengchang Zhang, Mengzi Zhao et al.•Frontiers in Public Health•2026

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• AI robots promote South Korean preschoolers' AI literacy and computational thinking

  Open Access•Boram Lee, Seulki Ku et al.•Family Relations•2025

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• The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds

  Kenneth R Ginsburg, and the Committee on Communications et al.•PEDIATRICS•2007

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• The Role of Play in Children’s Palliative Care

  Open Access•Sue Boucher, Julia Downing et al.•Children•2014

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• The effects of clown intervention on worries and emotional responses in children undergoing surgery

  Open Access•Sara Costa Fernandes, Sara Fernandes et al.•Journal of Health Psychology•2010

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