Play Therapy for Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Parents with children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) might be curious how to best support them using counselling services. ADHD is a common neurodevelopmental disorder that can impact both children and adults. Your child might have difficulty focusing, experience impulsive thoughts, or struggle to sit still or remain quiet while others are talking. When left untreated, ADHD can impact a child’s academic and social functioning and lead to comorbidity with other mental illnesses as an adult. Each child will have unique symptoms related to their ADHD diagnosis, so it is imperative to target these symptoms through an individualized treatment plan.

Children’s natural ability to communicate is through play. This could be through games, puppet shows, drawings, sand trays, or toys chosen based on their strengths and interests.

For example, a child who loves superheroes might benefit from storytelling through an action figure they brought to the session. Furthermore, a child who loves to paint could use their artistic ability to illustrate feelings, situations, or concerns.

Play therapy is uniquely designed to build on children’s strength and their natural language of play to develop the skills to overcome their concerns. It also aims to advance social, behavioural, and cognitive growth during a critical development period.

While different from traditional talk therapy, play therapy opens a lens of discovery into the child’s inner world as scenarios often depict what is going on in their lives. The counsellor uses a collaborative approach with the caretakers to gain insight into what the child has been struggling with and what to be mindful of during sessions. Caretakers can also play a critical role during sessions by engaging in play with the child to explore interactions and family dynamics. It is common for children with ADHD to go beyond the standard rules of games or find it challenging to finish tasks. If this is apparent in sessions, providing the child with the freedom to explore is critical to ensure they are validated. Play therapy can help children with ADHD raise their self-esteem, reduce impulsivity, and strengthen attention skills to improve their academic trajectory and interpersonal abilities. Play therapy has also shown skill development that can transcend beyond the therapeutic environment. For example, it has been shown that following play therapy, children with ADHD continue to experience a strengthened ability to foster productive relationships, communicate effectively, and manage symptoms.

Play therapy is driven by a therapeutic modality best suited for your child. For example, client-centred play therapy is non-directive and grants the child the freedom to choose the activity they wish to engage in. Adlerian play therapy can help children work toward superiority and an improved sense of belonging. Cognitive behavioural play therapy helps express the child’s feelings and emotions in a non-judgemental environment to reduce aggressive behaviours and improve social functioning. The therapeutic modality chosen will be discovered with the counsellor based on your child’s history, culture, trauma, and areas of concern.

If you wish to learn more about how play therapy can help your child, please visit our website through this link to book a free consultation. Our counsellors are well-equipped to provide the most appropriate care to meet your child’s needs.

References

Dillman Taylor, D., & Kottman, T. (2019). Assessing the utility and fidelity of the Adlerian play therapy skills checklist using qualitative content analysis. International Journal of Play Therapy, 28(1), 13–21. https://doi.org/10.1037/pla0000082

Ezadpanahi, M., Baharvand, V., & Yousefipour, L. (2022). The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral play therapy on reducing aggression in children 9 to 13 years old in Shiraz. Indian Journal of Positive Psychology, 13(2), 98–101.

Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. Retrieved July 16, 2023, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/adhdadd 

Kingsley, E. (2021, April 7). How to practice ADHD play therapy at home. ADDitude. https://www.additudemag.com/play-therapy/

Pietrangelo, A. (2019, October 11). How play therapy treats and benefits children and some adults. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/play-therapy#examples

Psychology Today. (n.d.). Play therapy. Retrieved July 16, 2023, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/therapy-types/play-therapy

Robinson, A., Simpson, C., & Hott, B. L. (2017). The effects of child-centered play therapy on the behavioral performance of three first grade students with ADHD. International Journal of Play Therapy, 26(2), 73–83. https://doi.org/10.1037/pla0000047

Swank, J. M., & Smith-Adcock, S. (2018). On-task behavior of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Examining treatment effectiveness of play therapy interventions. International Journal of Play Therapy, 27(4), 187–197. https://doi.org/10.1037/pla0000084