The value of using computer games as therapeutic tools with young people in residential child care has received very little attention, despite indications of their potential for engaging young people in therapeutic work. This study addresses this research gap by exploring the use of a computer game as a therapeutic tool in three children's homes in Northern Ireland. A therapeutic intervention was developed, which incorporated a commercially available computer game (The SIMS Life Stories TM) and emotion regulation skills coaching, and residential social workers were recruited and trained to deliver it to young people in the homes. The research was framed as an exploratory case study, designed to identify the factors which impacted on the intervention's successful implementation; determine its acceptability to participants; and identify its value in facilitating emotion regulation skills coaching and therapeutic engagement in these settings. Anglin's Congruence Theory illuminated how use of the intervention was affected by the psychosocial context of residential child care. A novel application of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research was also utilised to understand the impact of contextual, individual, intervention, and research-level factors on implementation. The study concludes that, while the SIMS intervention, and computer-game based interventions in general, appear to have value as therapeutic tools in residential children's homes, a number of challenges must be addressed in order to maximise their potential. Successful implementation of computer game based interventions requires: training, supervision and additional resources for residential social workers; informal, flexible and adaptable interventions attuned to the needs of individual young people; and delivery procedures which are compatible with the culture, ethos and ways of working in the residential child care context.

In this study the researcher explored and described the utilization of Gestalt play therapy concepts and techniques in order to strengthen the sense of self of the pediatric hematology/oncology patient. Literature studies were compiled to examine the concepts of the pediatric hematology/oncology patient, sense of self and Gestalt play therapy. These literature studies provided the theoretical frame in which the study was executed. During the empirical study qualitative data was gathered by means of unstructured interviews within an instrumental case study. Eight therapy sessions were conducted with the participant in order to explore how Gestalt play therapy concepts and techniques could be utilized to strengthen the sense of self of the pediatric hematology/oncology patient. Following the analysis of the data the researcher was able to describe how the Gestalt play therapy concepts and techniques were utilized to strengthen the sense of self of the pediatric hematology/oncology patient. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

In this study the researcher explored and described the utilization of Gestalt play therapy concepts and techniques in order to strengthen the sense of self of the pediatric hematology/oncology patient. Literature studies were compiled to examine the concepts of the pediatric hematology/oncology patient, sense of self and Gestalt play therapy. These literature studies provided the theoretical frame in which the study was executed. During the empirical study qualitative data was gathered by means of unstructured interviews within an instrumental case study. Eight therapy sessions were conducted with the participant in order to explore how Gestalt play therapy concepts and techniques could be utilized to strengthen the sense of self of the pediatric hematology/oncology patient. Following the analysis of the data the researcher was able to describe how the Gestalt play therapy concepts and techniques were utilized to strengthen the sense of self of the pediatric hematology/oncology patient. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)