The Efficacy of Play Therapy in Treating Anxiety in Young Children: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Anxiety is the single most common disorder found in young children, yet little research has been conducted examining the efficacy of play therapy as a treatment for anxiety in children. The present study examines quantitative research literature using any play therapy modality to reduce anxiety levels in children ages 5-13. Due to the limited amount of research in this area, this study includes all qualifying articles published over the past 15 years. A total of five articles were included for a total sample size of 158. Examination of these data shows that play therapy is highly efficacious in treating anxiety in children, with a total effect size of Cohen’s d = 1.026, based on data from self-report instruments administered to child participants. It is also indicative that more research is desperately needed, especially by those in the social work profession.