Ohnogi, A., & Drewes, A. A. (2016). Play therapy to help school-age children deal with natural and human-made disasters. In A. A. Drewes & C. E. Schaefer (Eds.), Play therapy in middle childhood (pp. 33-52). Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/14776-003
School-age children can easily be negatively impacted by natural and human-made disasters, such as earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes with severe flooding and evacuations, fires, acts of terrorism, school shootings, and unusual community events (e.g., explosions, construction disasters). The unfortunate consequences of these traumas on school-age children, as well as adolescents, are well documented (Davis & Siegel, 2000; Jeney-Gammon, Daugherty, Finch, Belter, & Foster, 1993; Jones & Ollendick, 2005; Lack & Sullivan, 2007; Lengua, Long, & Meltzoff, 2006; Terranova, Boxer, & Morris, 2009). Children fall back on coping strategies to help them get through traumatic events. Depending on their developmental level and previous resources and resiliency, school-age children may cope through avoidance and distraction, self-blame, wishful thinking, cognitive restructuring, and problem solving. Younger children and those with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) use more strategies than older children and those not suffering from PTSD (Stallard, Velleman, Langsford, & Baldwin, 2001). Children with PTSD are more likely to use distraction, social withdrawal, emotional regulation, and blaming others. This chapter offers a developmental perspective along with a review of recent brain research to help clinicians use play-based techniques and play therapy to help school-age children impacted by trauma build coping strategies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)