Play therapy for parental loss in children: a comprehensive review of interventions and outcomes

Abstract

Play therapy is a therapeutic approach most often used with children to help them cope, prevent and resolve psychosocial challenges (Association For Play Therapy, n.d). Using play therapy, children who experience grief are able to learn positive coping mechanisms. Previous research has demonstrated that play therapy benefits grieving children. The following literature review will review how play therapy interventions can be utilized for the loss of a parent during childhood. Parental death will be shown in parents who died due to suicide, substance use disorder, serving in the military, terrorist attacks and natural disasters. Regardless of the circumstances, childhood grief of a parent is challenging. However, different play therapy interventions can be utilized, creating positive outcomes for a child’s coping mechanisms in various contexts of death. Keywords: Psychology, Play therapy, Childhood Traumatic Grief, Coping