Children in play therapy: what significance does this have for their parent´s perceived health?

Abstract: Abstract Background: World Health Organization highlights an increasing world-wide problem regarding mental ill health, disorders and difficulties among children and adolescent. Research has found that health-related impairments do not only affect the children suffering from it, but their parents as well who report negative influences on their own health and burdens of different kinds. Play therapy is suitable when treating children with mental ill health, disorders and difficulties. To improve the parents´ health as well, there is a need for research looking into which kinds of interventions that is beneficial for both children and their parents. Purpose: The aim with this study was to investigate whether children´s participation in play therapy also could be beneficial for their parent´s perceived health. It was also of interest to investigate if these parents experienced the intervention as stress-reducing and social support increasing. Method: Four parents whose children had been treated or were currently treated in play therapy participated in an individual, semi-structured interview. The collected material was processed through a thematic analysis and interpreted based on the Theory of social support. Result: Four out of four participants considered themselves at better perceived health since the child´s participation in play therapy. All participants also experienced a stress-reducing effect and three out of four considered the intervention as considerably social support increasing.