The Impact of Cognitive-Behavioral Play Therapy on Children's Anxiety Levels: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to systematically investigate the effect of Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy (CBPT), a specific form of play therapy, on children’s levels of anxiety. Materials and Methods: The research focused on studies involving CBPT published within the last decade. Various databases were searched, including Web of Science, Cochrane, PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and ULAKBIM. Following the PRISMA process, eight studies that met the established criteria were included in the review. Results: The researchers included various study designs in this review, including randomized controlled trials (n=4), experimental study designs (n=1), quasi-experimental study designs (n=2), and one case report (n=1). Among these, in the randomized controlled trials, experimental, and quasi-experimental studies, CBPT was conducted over 8- 12 sessions held once a week. Conclusion: This systematic review study provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of CBPT in reducing anxiety levels in children. The findings suggest that this therapeutic approach has a positive impact on children's mental health by alleviating anxiety. This contribution to the literature is expected to pave the way for further research in the field of child mental health, helping to address and understand anxiety-related issues in children more comprehensively.