The therapeutic power of play : examining the play of young children with leukemia

Play has been described as a medium through which children explore their social and physical environments, interact with others, and develop their social and cognitive skills. Recently, the idea that play may serve a therapeutic function has been investigated. The present study was designed to investigate the therapeutic effects of play on children with leukemia as compared to a group of healthy children. The participants with leukemia ( n = 11) were from the external hematology-oncology clinic of a large, Francophone children's hospital in a major urban area; they were in their first year of treatment and received weekly treatments. Children were observed in the playroom of the outpatient clinic. Control children ( n = 11) attended a day care center. All children were 3- to 5-years-old. A Stress Inventory (Chandler, 1981) assessed the two groups' experience with stress. Children's social and cognitive play behaviors during free play were coded (Rubin, 1978). As well, a self-distress measure (Weisz et al., 1994) rated children's daily moods. (Abstract shortened by UMI.