Game Play: Therapeutic Use of Childhood Games

by Charles E. Schaefer

Book Overview

The long-awaited revision of the only book on game play available for mental health professionals

Not only is play a pleasurable, naturally occurring behavior found in humans, it is also a driving force in our development. As opposed to the unstructured play often utilized in psychotherapy, game playing invokes more goal-directed behavior, carries the benefits of interpersonal interaction, and can perform a significant role in the adaptation...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0471362565
• ISBN13: 9780471362562
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: Wiley
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 1.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.5" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

Game play

This is the second edition of an important book, first published in 1986 and edited by Charles Schaefer, professor of psychology from the Fairleigh Dickinson University and Steven Reid, who is in private practice in New York. Games are a very important part of child development and there are some of us, who will never stop playing games, even in adulthood. Games can be played by the person for his or her own enjoyment, but it is also a tool of communication between the professional or therapist and the child, adolescent or client. It is essential in play therapy and the first edition was very helpful in the new classification of how games were used in therapy to further development and emotional growth: communication games, problem-solving games, ego-enhancing games and socialization games. The first edition catalyzed specialization in the field of game play therapy and this second edition is devided into five parts: Games to elicit communication and fantasy expression, using traditional games in child therapy, game play for children in crisis, therapeutic games for children with ADHD and teaching social skills through games. This second text is therefore an illustration of how this field has undergone a specialization in evaluation and problem solving of many problems of childhood and adolescence. I especially found the chapter by Steven Reid on "Therapeutic use of card games with learning disabled children" and the chapter by Billie Corder on "Using games and game play in group therapy with sexually abused children and adolescents" worth reading both due to its review, case story and practical approach. This textbook is recommended to mental health clinicians (psychologists, social workers, nurses, psychiatrists) working with children and adolescents.Professor Joav Merrick, MD, DMSc Medical Director, Division for Mental Retardation, Box 1260, IL-91012 Jerusalem, Israel. E-mail: jmerrick@aquanet.co.il