Theraplay Case Study

Theraplay uses the approach of playful interaction to enhance the relationship between caregiver and child, while increasing a child's attention, communication, and control over their actions (Hiles Howard, Lindaman, Copeland, & Cross, 2018). Theraplay is an interactive short-term therapy design for children to learn and rehearse communication skills using a highly structured play format that includes using minimal toys and supplies. A session typically starts with a planned activity like a song, then setting rules for the session, working on a social skill, and then closing the session with a goodbye song or another activity (Simeone-Russell, 2011). Children with ASD can feel overstimulated in the classroom and Theraplay can teach self-control
One study conducted by Hiles Howard, et al (2018) examined the effectiveness of Theraplay for children diagnosed with mild to moderate ASD in determining the quality of child-parent interaction using Theraplay. In the study, there were two females and six males ranging from the ages of three to nine who were all diagnosed with mild to moderate ASD and all of Caucasian descent. The study included a pretest, two weeks before starting Theraplay intervention in which the caregivers perform multiple tasks for 3-5 minutes in front of the child and the observer records the child's responses. Next, the children and caregivers attended two 1-hour Theraplay sessions every day for a total of 9 days. During the sessions, caregivers and children conducted different social skills; the researchers used the Marschak Interaction Method to record interactions. Following the intervention, the caregivers and children came back to conduct a two-week posttest and then a three-month posttest. The results of the study showed an increase in caregiver’s responses to children, while the children improved in the areas of making better eye contact, becoming more vocal, and acknowledging directions
Participants in the study included 3 girls and 35 boys ranging from ages 6-13, ethnicity of participants are unknown, but all have been diagnosed with developmental delays. Twenty-three of the participants were assigned to receive Theraplay intervention, while the remaining fifteen were assigned to a control group that included children attending their regular classes. Participants in the Theraplay sessions were broken down into four groups of five to six participants. They attended Theraplay sessions for a whole school year, meeting once a week for 30-minutes with trained Theraplay educators. Prior to intervention, participants were assessed using a Social Responsiveness Scale. During group sessions, participants participated in specific play activities and their behaviors were measured in response to their instructor, interaction with peers, and their overall conduct. At the end of the program, posttests were used to evaluate student’s behavior in response to Theraplay. The results of the study showed the effectiveness of integrating Theraplay in a school setting and the children engaged in the program showed improvement in social skills and interaction with other peers (Sui,