Academic literature on the topic 'Play, non-play'

Aims: This study investigates the use of play-based evaluation methods, developed by the author, in non-directive play therapy practice. A review of the child therapy literature demonstrates that there has been limited development of child-centred methods to ascertain children's views. Whilst there has been development of appropriate methods for gathering children's views in other settings, these do not fully translate to the complex setting of therapeutic interactions. The study aims to record children's views of play therapy as expressed through play-based evaluations; explore their use as a new method and, finally, explore what conditions are needed to fully facilitate children's exploration and sharing of their views when using play-based evaluations. Methods: The study employs a qualitative methodology utilising video observation as a less intrusive method for data collection of the children's views that are expressed during play-based evaluation. The videos are analysed in two main ways: to record the children's views and to explore the process between therapist and child during the interaction. Pre- and post- questionnaires are used to gain information regarding the children in the study and the therapists' perceptions. Utilisation of computer-assisted software, visual methods of analysis and in-depth micro-analysis of video observation are combined to create an innovative and thorough methodological approach. Exciting new methods of visual representation are employed to present the findings in a way that respects the need for participant anonymity whilst allowing the reader greater access to the non-verbal processes described. Conclusions: The study shows that play-based evaluation techniques are important and flexible methods for facilitating children's views of child therapy. The study shows how therapists take different approaches to delivering the sessions. It is argued that those therapists who incorporate their therapeutic skills effectively, maintain flexibility and sensitively attune to the child during the session, enable the child to explore their views more fully.

In order to establish the appropriateness of the western model of non-directive play therapy within the Kenyan context, the study explored the experiences of trained play therapists using the western model of non-directive play therapy in their therapeutic work with a Kenyan child. The study used qualitative methodology with thematic analysis where six trained non-directive play therapists with more than two years' practical experience participated. The participants comprised of five females and one male aged between 40 to mid-50 years were interviewed using semi-structured interviews while the interviews were tape recorded prior to their transcription. Data analysis was done using thematic analysis guidelines and the findings generated two main overarching themes stating that the Western model of Non-directive play therapy used in a therapeutic setting with a Kenyan child is in a large scale 'appropriate' (effective) while in some cases the same participants found the model 'inappropriate' (not effective) based on the Kenyan cultural beliefs and practices. Within the two main overarching themes, emanated seven candidate themes perceived by my participants to be indicators of the appropriateness of the western model of non- directive play therapy within the Kenyan context, in which the therapists' experiences revealed that in their therapeutic work with a Kenyan child using this model, the child developed a sense of 'empowerment'; 'freedom' and at the same time became 'expressive' through the use of play. Meanwhile the inappropriateness of western model of non - directive play therapy in the Kenyan context were mainly perceived to be caused by 'lack of awareness' of the model's existence and/or importance by most Kenyan communities, 'cultural barriers' particularly with regard to the use of 'play' and 'non- direction' in this model, Kenya's 'directive education system' as opposed to the western non-direction and 'social economic status' of most Kenyans leading to access issues were also experienced as contributors to the models in appropriateness within the Kenyan context.

Aims This study investigates the use of play-based evaluation methods, developed by the author, in non-directive play therapy practice. A review of the child therapy literature demonstrates that there has been limited development of child-centred methods to ascertain children's views. Whilst there has been development of appropriate methods for gathering children's views in other settings, these do not fully translate to the complex setting of therapeutic interactions. The study aims to record children's views of play therapy as expressed through play-based evaluations; explore their use as a new method and, finally, explore what conditions are needed to fully facilitate children's exploration and sharing of their views when using play-based evaluations. Methods The study employs a qualitative methodology utilising video observation as a less intrusive method for data collection of the children's views that are expressed during play-based evaluation. The videos are analysed in two main ways: to record the children's views and to explore the process between therapist and child during the interaction. Pre- and post- questionnaires are used to gain information regarding the children in the study and the therapists' perceptions. Utilisation of computer-assisted software, visual methods of analysis and in-depth micro-analysis of video observation are combined to create an innovative and thorough methodological approach. Exciting new methods of visual representation are employed to present the findings in a way that respects the need for participant anonymity whilst allowing the reader greater access to the non-verbal processes described. Conclusions The study shows that play-based evaluation techniques are important and flexible methods for facilitating children's views of child therapy. The study shows how therapists take different approaches to delivering the sessions. It is argued that those therapists who incorporate their therapeutic skills effectively, maintain flexibility and sensitively attune to the child during the session, enable the child to explore their views more fully.

This research focuses on the connection between voice-based interactions and harassment in online games, from the point of interaction design. It points out severe faults in privacy afforded by voice-based communication and explores beyond this medium to design a communication system that relies only on non-verbal communication (NVC). Such system was co-created with the players supporting the idea that inclusion starts even in the early design stages. Through the playtesting of the NVC system the research shows the many ways in which the type of communication impacts the game and how players experience cooperation, cohabitation, and inclusion in online games. However, to achieve this, this research had to create a framework and mapping methods that focus on the players and their communicative intention. Hence, the “levels of multiplayer communication” is proposed as a tool to analyze and a method to design for communication in games, and it stands as a knowledge contribution along with the information acquired through its use.

This research considers the role and design of digital technologies in play therapy settings with young children. Through an aggregation of academic and practitioner literature, and the results of focus group and individual interviews with therapists and counsellors, a set of design requirements for digital technologies that support non-directive play within a play therapy context is proposed. The study explores how these complex requirements could support non-directive play therapy principles through the development and evaluation of Magic Land, a set of four play therapy applications for an interactive tabletop. On the basis of the qualitative research evidence, it is suggested that the design guidelines should be deeply rooted in the theoretical foundations of non-directive play therapy and reflect a number of psychoanalytic and child social development theories. The concepts developed in two opposing schools of thought by Piaget and Vygotsky are used to guide the design and map the research findings. Taking into account the children’s interest in technology, the therapists’ skills, the affordances of the technology and the design guidelines aligned with the core theories of play therapy, it was found that the Magic Land application on an interactive tabletop could support such non-directive play therapy principles as the development of a trusting therapeutic relationship, a child’s creative expression and the gradual nature of the therapeutic process. It created opportunities for children to practise exercising a feeling of mastery and taking the initiative, as well as allowing for joyful and non-goal oriented free play.

In this technical note we use insights from the theory of projective geometry to provide novel and non-algebraic proofs of convergence of continuous-time fictitious play for a class of games. As a corollary we obtain a kind of equilibrium selection result, whereby continuous-time fictitious play converges to a particular equilibrium contained in a continuum of equivalent equilibria for symmetric 4x4 zero-sum games.

This study examined adults’ perceptions of aggression in toys and toy commercials targeted toward young boys. The subjects, 262 undergraduate psychology students, completed the Buss/Perry Aggression Questionnaire and rated either a videotape of 10 boy-oriented toy commercials or slides of 10 non-advertised boy-toys. Parental status, exposure to an advertised versus non-advertised toy, and level of self-reported aggression were assessed to determine their relationship to perceptions of aggressiveness in a toy’s image and predicted play with the toy. Univariate analyses of variance and paired sample t-tests were conducted. The results indicate that toys advertised in commercials are judged to portray more aggressive images than non-advertised toys. Additionally, a person’s tolerance of aggression in his or her own life may influence his/her perceptions that aggression is acceptable in certain situations, such a fantasy toy play. Finally, gender stereotyping still appears to be influential in determining appropriate toy play for boys and girls.

The extensive amount of research conducted in the field of family violence internationally indicates that child abuse has a detrimental effect on both the physical and emotional development of children as well as having a profound effect on an individual’s psychological development and functioning in adult life. The aim of this research study was to describe the therapeutic process that unfolded with a seven year old allegedly abused female client within the framework of non-directive play therapy. The case was further contextualised utilising Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development. This study served to broaden the body of psychotherapeutic knowledge by means of meaningful qualitative enquiry. The client was referred for therapy because of severe emotional and behavioural problems following the alleged sexual abuse. The client was seen over a period of eight months and this included 11 sessions of non-directive play therapy, three parent interviews and psychometric assessments conducted by a colleague. The case study method was utilised in this study. To achieve the aim of the research, the methodology of choice was the descriptive dialogic case study. A purposive sampling technique was used in the selection of the research subject for this study. The data collection and analysis were conducted according to Yin’s (1994) analytical generalisation, which consists of two main strategies: (a) using a theoretical framework as a guide to determine what data is relevant; and (b) developing a matrix as a descriptive framework for organising and integrating the data. Furthermore, the process of data analysis was aided by the use of guidelines proposed by Irving Alexander (1988) with Axline’s non-directive play therapy and Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development as the theoretical frameworks. The findings of this study suggest that plotting the play therapy sessions according to the framework of the four stages of play therapy was a particularly useful tool to monitor Michelle’s progression through the therapeutic process. This can be seen as a valuable application of a tool which can be used within the non-directive play therapy approach. Contextualising Michelle’s development according to the stages of Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development was also found to be a valuable endeavour. According to her chronological age, Michelle should have been in the fourth stage of industry versus inferiority, but in reality Michelle was still struggling to strike a healthy balance between the terms of conflict of trust versus mistrust issues of the first stage. From a therapeutic point, this was an important exercise as it helped to inform the therapist and consequently, the therapeutic process. This research undertaking can be recognised as a positive demonstration of the value of non-directive play therapy (Virginia Axline) and Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development in the therapeutic process. In addition, this study has served to facilitate a more holistic understanding of the case study approach to research. Recommendations regarding future research undertakings that utilise the case study approach and methodology have been made. Key concepts: child abuse; family violence; non-directive play therapy; Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development; analytical generalisation; case study research.

Play is acknowledged as a fundamental need and right of the human experience. However, across the human lifespan is not always valued. Research on play has traditionally been on children, and while some attention is now being paid to older adults, there is little scholarship regarding play in adulthood. This exploratory study examined how early adulthood (25-40 years old) play, the influence playing has on creativity and career performance, and implications for future research on play. The study was completed utilizing traditional and non-traditional research methods with the intent to incorporate the participants' voice and perspectives into a human-centered research design. The end results of this study, demonstrated that early adults engage in a number of play experiences that shape their development and learning as well as influence their creativity and work performance. The use of human-centered research provided participants with the opportunity to individualize data collection, analyze results, and have a voice in the final product.