UC Berkeley

Research indicates that an array of positive social, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive outcomes are associated with children’s play. Play triggers the development of children’s ability to navigate social relationships, the ability to self-regulate, and to problem-solve—among other positive outcomes (White, 2012). Such outcomes hold true for play within a therapeutic environment. Play therapy is effective in cultivating children’s social, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive skills (Landreth & Bratton, 1999). These outcomes are also seen in the therapeutic school environment, via the work of school counselors who use play therapy as a counseling modality. However, literature shows that counseling and play therapy services in schools are underutilized. With the aforementioned benefits, it seems usage should be maximized. This raises the question, what barriers are preventing school counselors from using play therapy more often and with more students? According to previous research, the school environment presents spatial and administrative barriers to play therapy implementation. Spatial barriers include lack of access to a private space dedicated to play therapy. Space is often shared with other school faculty—making it difficult for counselors to maintain their readiness of play therapy materials. Administrative barriers include administration members’ confusion regarding the role of the school counselor. Role confusion can result in administrators asking counselors to take on non-counseling roles, lessening the time for counseling and play therapy. Administrative barriers also include a lack of administrative support for school counselors in general. Yet, little research has examined whether spatial and administrative barriers are empirically associated with frequency of play therapy use; the present study was designed to provide evidence regarding this association.

To increase the use of play therapy in schools, it could help to understand why one practitioner might overcome these barriers, but not another. In the present research, I examined several questions related to the personal factors associated with more extensive use of play therapy by practitioners. Might the training and preparedness of school counselors make a difference, such as, for example, if they have taken graduate courses or workshops in play therapy? These educational opportunities may provide helpful strategies and information about how to overcome or minimize the barriers. Another question pertains more specifically to counselors’ motivation to engage in play therapy. The research base on the efficacy of play therapy is not extensive, and commitment to this modality is variable among mental health professionals. In this research, I examine whether school counselors’ perceptions of play therapy efficacy are associated with the frequency with which they use play therapy with their students.

In summary, I explored three basic questions in this research. I assessed school counselors’ perceptions of administrative and space barriers to using play therapy and determined whether these barriers are associated with frequency of play therapy use. I examined whether counselors with more specific training and preparedness in play therapy are more likely to engage in play therapy, and whether counselors who have a strong belief in the efficacy of play therapy are more likely to engage in play therapy. Additionally, I examined the moderating effects of training and preparedness in play therapy on the relationship between the barriers and use of play therapy, and on the relationship between having a strong belief in play therapy efficacy and play therapy use.

These questions were examined using The Play Therapy Utilization Inventory (PTUI), designed by Dr. Christine Ebrahim of Loyola University New Orleans. A total of 359 elementary school counselors completed the inventory. The 359 participants were members of the American Counseling Association (ACA).

Multivariate analyses revealed that counselors who used play therapy less frequently were more likely to identify the presence of barriers to practicing play therapy. Less frequent users had taken fewer graduate school courses or workshops in play therapy, were less likely to have kept current on play therapy literature, and expressed less belief in the efficacy of play therapy. Training and preparedness in play therapy did not moderate the association between beliefs regarding the efficacy of play therapy and play therapy use. However, workshop attendance was found to be especially salient for infrequent play therapy users in lessening their perceptions of barriers to practicing play therapy. These results may have implications for future play therapy work, including interventions and funding.

Keywords: play, play therapy, administrative barriers, space barriers, role confusion, certification, efficacy beliefs, school context, use of play therapy, designated play therapy room