Randomized controlled trial is the most rigorous individual study design for establishing treatment effectiveness, comparing participants group assignment. Non-equivalent control group designs and within- subjects designs are two quasi-experimental research designs most commonly seen in IJPT. Non-equivalent control group designs also compare experimental and control groups but does not involve random group assignment. Within-subjects designs typically explore changes within a group of participants before and after play therapy treatment. In SCRDs, researchers systematically track each individual participant’s behaviors or symptoms before, during, and after the play therapy treatment. Although SCRDs involves small
samples,
their use of repeated measures and baseline comparisons allows for meaningful conclusions about treatment effects.
Application of Quantitative Findings unlikely due to chance but does not reveal magnitude of the effect. pg large treatment effect. Play therapy researchers have also reported meaningful changes in functioning among the participants. For participants’ social withdrawal scores were in severe range, but none reminded in that range after CCPT treatment.
Play therapy practitioners should carefully consider several
important issues when interpreting and applying quantitative of the study designs. In RCT or non-equivalent control group studies, emphasis should be placed on time-by-group interaction overall change across all participants without distinguishing (p p
social-emotional competencies among African American children compared with children who did not receive CCPT. Within-subjects designs and SCRDs, in which participants serve as their own environmental changes.
2
N = 3
Meta-Analyses N = 3
Systematic Reviews N = 27 Randomized Controlled Trials N =24 Non-equivalent control group studies N = 32 Within-subjects studies N = 15 Single Case Research Designs N = 21 Qualitative Studies N = 31 Case Reports
Secondly, sample size and characteristics play a critical role in result generalization. Small samples typically limit the representativeness to the population and may also detriment group equivalence even with random assignment in RCTs, making effect sizes less reliable and reducing generalizability. We recommend clinicians to always consider sample characteristics, such as race/ethnicity, gender, culture, socioeconomic status, geographic contexts, etc., to avoid which are not intended for broad generalization, practitioners can carefully consider how closely study samples align with their clients when making clinical decisions.
Thirdly, clinicians should also carefully review the settings in which the studies were conducted. Particularly, many play therapy studies published in IJPT were conducted in university counseling centers with ideal equipment, environment, and supervision. When applying avoid expecting the same treatment effects. Findings from a study other settings. For example, a private practice play therapist seeking interventions for a 6-year-old Hispanic girl with behavioral concerns may be attracted by the effective effect of group Adlerian play therapy on the case of Angela in Dillman Taylor and colleagues’ because their study was in a school setting. Finally, practitioners should be mindful of theoretical match when using quantitative been on CCPT showing its strong effectiveness, but whether a play therapist has adequate CCPT training and their theoretical orientation matches CCPT would be an important consideration.
24 | PLAYTHERAPY | June 2026 |
www.a4pt.org
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