The Use of Play Therapy with Adult Survivors of Childhood Abuse

311 Pages·2017·6.89 MB·English

by  Mary J. Roehrig

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Dissertations Graduate Research
2007
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Mary J. Roehrig
Andrews University
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Andrews University
School of Education
THE USE OF PLAY THERAPY WITH ADULT SURVIVORS
OF CHILDHOOD ABUSE
A Dissertation
Presented in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
by
Mary J. Roehrig
April 2007
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UMI Number: 3261213
Copyright 2007 by
Roehrig, Mary J.
All rights reserved.
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THE USE OF PLAY THERAPY WITH ADULT SURVIVORS
OF CHILDHOOD ABUSE
A dissertation
presented in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree
Doctor of Philosophy
by
Mary J. Roehrig
APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE:
Chair: Nancy J. Carbonell Dean, School of Education
James Jeffery
Member: Jerome
Member: Curtis VanderWaal
fWA IS , £-007
External Examiner: Susan Carter Date approved
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ABSTRACT
THE USE OF PLAY THERAPY WITH ADULT SURVIVORS
OF CHILDHOOD ABUSE
by
Mary J. Roehrig
Chair: Nancy J. Carbonell
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH
Dissertation
Andrews University
School of Education
Title: THE USE OF PLAY THERAPY WITH ADULT SURVIVORS OF
CHILDHOOD ABUSE
Name of researcher: Mary J. Roehrig
Name and degree of faculty chair: Nancy J. Carbonell, Ph.D.
Date completed: April 2007
Problem
A growing trend among therapists is the use of play therapy interventions with
adult clients to facilitate resolution of early childhood trauma and to promote emotional
and spiritual growth. The purpose of this study was to explore the use and effectiveness
of play therapy techniques with adult survivors of childhood abuse.
Method
In an exploratory approach, therapists were invited to participate in an online
survey. Of the participating therapists, 21 agreed to a subsequent in-depth interview.
The Theme Analysis for Word-Rich Data was used to identify themes from the
interviews.
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Results
Play therapy with adult survivors of childhood abuse was used by 64.9% of the
participating therapists in this study. Common techniques used in treating adult survivors
were: (a) journaling, (b) sand tray, (c) art, (d) anger management, (e) imagery, (f) role
play, and (g) humor. A categorization according to intent or goal of therapy was noted.
When the intent was to express feelings, the art and sandplay techniques predominated.
When the purpose was to manage anger, more physical activities were suggested.
Therapists were asked to rate the effectiveness of play therapy with adult survivors. On a
5-point Likert scale, with 5 - Very effective and 1 = Ineffective, 81% of the participants
selected either a 4 or 5, with the mode and median both being 5 = Very effective.
In a process called Theme Analysis for Word-Rich Data, six themes emerged
from analysis of the qualitative interviews. These were: (a) non-threatening, therapeutic
environment, (b) therapist characteristics, (c) successful techniques, (d) developmental
perspective, (e) justification for using play therapy, and (f) spirituality. These six themes
became the building blocks for the proposed therapy model presented in this study.
Conclusions
Results from this study suggest that play therapy is an effective approach in
treating adult survivors. Further exploration is needed to formalize this approach and to
empirically test its effectiveness. A conceptual model for practice is presented within this
study to include (a) suggestions for therapist academic and practicum preparation; (b)
suggested techniques; and (c) guidelines for theory development.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES.................................................................................................... vii
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS................................................................................. viii
Chapter
1. INTRODUCTION....................................................................................... 1
Statement of the Problem........................................................................ 4
Purpose of the Study............................................................................... 5
Research Questions................................................................................. 5
Significance of the Study........................................................................ 6
Theoretical Framework............................................................................. 7
Psychoanalytical Theory...................................................................... 7
The Work of Virginia Axline................................................................ 9
Cognitive-Behavioral Theory................................................................ 10
Definition of Terms................................................................................... 11
Delimitations.............................................................................................. 16
Limitations................................................................................................ 17
Organization of the Dissertation.............................................................. 17
Summary of Chapter 1 ............................................................................. 18
2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE...................................................................... 19
Play Therapy With Children.................................................................... 19
Historical Perspective............................................................................. 19
Play Therapy Guidelines and Techniques............................................. 23
Biological.............................................................................................. 24
Intrapersonal......................................................................................... 25
Interpersonal......................................................................................... 25
Sociocultural......................................................................................... 25
Directive vs. Non-Directive Play Therapy........................................... 26
Related Play Therapy Modalities............................................................ 27
Play Therapy With Adults.......................................................................... 28
Long-term Effects of Sexual Abuse......................................................... 31
Current Treatment Modalities.................................................................... 32
Research on Adult Survivors.................................................................... 34
Summary of Chapter 2 ............................................................................... 37
iii
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