Filial therapy

Filial therapy is a type of psychotherapy designed to treat emotional and behavioral difficulties in children; it was formulated by Bernard Gurney in 1964.[1] It is based on the principles of play therapy;[2][3] however, it is distinct from it, in that it teaches parents (or other paraprofessionals) how to provide therapeutic interventions for children. With respect to older children, filial therapy uses techniques that are adapted to age-appropriate interests and activities.[1]

Therapeutic mechanism

Although the exact mechanism by which therapeutic gains occur through the use of filial therapy is not definitively known, several hypotheses have been formulated to explain its positive effects. Many hypotheses hold that therapeutic gains are due to the same factors that make play therapy efficacious. Other hypotheses suggest that benefits from filial therapy may also stem from parental skill acquisition, a sense of parental self-efficacy, decreases in negative parent-child interactions, and an increase in positive parent-child interactions.[1]

Empirical support

Filial therapy is supported by clinical studies and meta-analyses.[4][5] Some research suggests that under certain conditions, filial therapy can have a greater therapeutic impact than play therapy.[6][7]

See also

References
  1. VanFleet, Rise. Filial Therapy. Sarasota, FL: Professional Resource Press.
  2. Axline, Virginia. Play Therapy. New York: Ballantine Books.
  3. Axline, Virginia. Dibs In Search of Self. New York: Ballantine Books.
  4. Marziyeh Alivandi Vafa, Khaidzir Hj. Ismail (February 2009). "Reaching out to single parent children through filial therapy". US-China Education Review. 6: 1–12.
  5. Guo, Y (2005). "Filial therapy for children's behavioral and emotional problems in mainland China". J Child Adolesc Psychiatr Nurs. 18 (4): 171–180. doi:10.1111/j.1744-6171.2005.00028.x. PMID 16236099.
  6. Bratton, S., Ray, D., Rhine, T., & Jones, L. (August 2005). "The efficacy of play therapy with children: A meta-analytic review of the outcome research". Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. 36 (4): 376–390. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.472.68. doi:10.1037/0735-7028.36.4.376.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. Ray,D, Bratton, S, Rhine, T, and Jones, L. (2001). "The effectiveness of play therapy: Responding to the critics". International Journal of Play Therapy. 10 (1): 85–108. doi:10.1037/h0089444.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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