Review

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CHILD-CENTERED PLAY THERAPY ON ANXIETY: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

Volume: 25 Number: 67 June 30, 2025
EN TR

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CHILD-CENTERED PLAY THERAPY ON ANXIETY: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

The purpose of this systematic literature review was to examine the effectiveness of Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) on children's anxiety levels. Nine studies were identified across four databases (EBSCOhost, Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect), published in English between January 2000 and December 2022, and meeting the inclusion criteria. These studies explored the effectiveness of CCPT on children with a range of anxiety-related issues, including clinical anxiety problems, anxiety in earthquake victims, children benefiting from special education, children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), social anxiety symptoms, children who are homeless, and those exposed to adverse childhood experiences. The children included in the studies ranged in age from 3 to 12 years old. The findings indicate that CCPT is effective in addressing general anxiety, physiological symptoms of anxiety, agoraphobia, separation anxiety, anxiety related to physical injury, social anxiety, and generalized anxiety disorder in children. Furthermore, the results suggest that CCPT can be a viable approach for reducing anxiety in children. However, the risk of bias assessment of the studies included in this review was mostly uncertain. This highlights the need for further systematic literature reviews or meta-analyses that incorporate studies with an increased risk of bias in order to provide more robust conclusions.

Keywords

References

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  7. Bradley, H. A., Rucklidge, J. J., and Mulder, R. T. (2017). A systematic review of trial registration and selective outcome reporting in psychotherapy randomized controlled trials. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 135(1), 65-77.
  8. Brown, R., Alderson, H., Kaner, E., McGovern, R., and Lingam, R. (2019). “There are carers, and then there are carers who actually care”; Conceptualizations of care among looked after children and care leavers, social workers and carers. Child Abuse and Neglect, 92, 219-229.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Child and Adolescent Development

Journal Section

Review

Publication Date

June 30, 2025

Submission Date

November 20, 2024

Acceptance Date

April 22, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 25 Number: 67

APA
Ayaz, R., & Ulusoy Doğmuş, Y. (2025). THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CHILD-CENTERED PLAY THERAPY ON ANXIETY: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW. Journal of Social Policy Studies, 25(67), 398-425. https://doi.org/10.21560/spcd.vi.1588446
AMA
1.Ayaz R, Ulusoy Doğmuş Y. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CHILD-CENTERED PLAY THERAPY ON ANXIETY: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW. Journal of Social Policy Studies. 2025;25(67):398-425. doi:10.21560/spcd.vi.1588446
Chicago
Ayaz, Rümeysa, and Yağmur Ulusoy Doğmuş. 2025. “THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CHILD-CENTERED PLAY THERAPY ON ANXIETY: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW”. Journal of Social Policy Studies 25 (67): 398-425. https://doi.org/10.21560/spcd.vi.1588446.
EndNote
Ayaz R, Ulusoy Doğmuş Y (June 1, 2025) THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CHILD-CENTERED PLAY THERAPY ON ANXIETY: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW. Journal of Social Policy Studies 25 67 398–425.
IEEE
[1]R. Ayaz and Y. Ulusoy Doğmuş, “THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CHILD-CENTERED PLAY THERAPY ON ANXIETY: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW”, Journal of Social Policy Studies, vol. 25, no. 67, pp. 398–425, June 2025, doi: 10.21560/spcd.vi.1588446.
ISNAD
Ayaz, Rümeysa - Ulusoy Doğmuş, Yağmur. “THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CHILD-CENTERED PLAY THERAPY ON ANXIETY: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW”. Journal of Social Policy Studies 25/67 (June 1, 2025): 398-425. https://doi.org/10.21560/spcd.vi.1588446.
JAMA
1.Ayaz R, Ulusoy Doğmuş Y. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CHILD-CENTERED PLAY THERAPY ON ANXIETY: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW. Journal of Social Policy Studies. 2025;25:398–425.
MLA
Ayaz, Rümeysa, and Yağmur Ulusoy Doğmuş. “THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CHILD-CENTERED PLAY THERAPY ON ANXIETY: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW”. Journal of Social Policy Studies, vol. 25, no. 67, June 2025, pp. 398-25, doi:10.21560/spcd.vi.1588446.
Vancouver
1.Rümeysa Ayaz, Yağmur Ulusoy Doğmuş. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CHILD-CENTERED PLAY THERAPY ON ANXIETY: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW. Journal of Social Policy Studies. 2025 Jun. 1;25(67):398-425. doi:10.21560/spcd.vi.1588446