Date of Conferral

5-13-2024

Date of Award

May 2024

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Tracy Masiello

Abstract

Child-centered play therapy (CCPT) is based on the theory that a child’s natural means of communication is through play. However, there is a lack of research into how this communication occurs in CCPT sessions. This grounded theory study explored the processes utilized by child-centered play therapists and their clients to communicate with each other using symbolic play and imagination. Data were gathered through semi structured interviews with six child-centered play therapists and three archival videos of CCPT sessions to gain a holistic understanding of how communication occurs in sessions. This study’s data analysis revealed 20 selective and six subcodes associated with how child-centered play therapists and their clients communicate through symbolic play and imagination in sessions. A child’s choice of symbolic play was found to be one of the 19 ways in which they communicate with their therapist. It was found that in child-centered play, therapists experience children will communicate their needs, desires, emotions, thoughts, and understanding of themselves and others. A thematic analysis of these codes found that when a child chooses to engage in solo or joint play, it impacts processes both use to communicate through symbolic play and imagination. Many of the processes used by children and therapists to communicate through symbolic play and imagination were used in both types of play. This study found some processes were unique to when the child chooses to engage in joint play, such as assigning a role to their therapist. The findings of this study can provide positive social change to child-centered play therapists with a better understanding of how they and their clients communicate through symbolic play and imagination.

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