Dissertation / The sensory integration approach originates from physical (anatomical and physiological) evidence whilst the play therapy approach originates from psychological evidence. Apart from play therapy, the researcher has also attended various courses in sensory integration therapy. Although both of these approaches are used as intervention methods with children who display behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, the researcher considered whether it was important for a play therapist to be aware of sensory integration therapy. The researcher then started this study in order to investigate the incidence of sensory integration dysfunction in children who receive play therapy. After completing the study, the researcher is of opinion that it is indeed necessary for play therapists to be aware of sensory integration theory in order to provide holistic play therapy intervention and to ensure positive therapy outcomes. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Play Therapy)

There is a high prevalence of child sexual abuse (CSA) in India and the UK (Laccino, 2014). However, there is a lack of research on culturally-specific aspects of psychotherapy offered to child and adolescent survivors of CSA in both these countries. Therapeutic interventions with sexually abused children raise complex concerns due to the heterogeneity based on the developmental stage of children; varied impact, presenting difficulties and needs; and characteristics of abuse, age, gender, ethnicity and cultural factors. Numerous therapeutic interventions for CSA have been documented, with varying theoretical constructs, structure, content and outcome (Reavey & Warner, 2001), ranging from cognitive behavioural, psychoanalytic, humanistic and feminist paradigm (Misurell, Springer, & Tryon, 2011). Most of these approaches do not provide sufficient guides to therapy (Reavey & Warner, 2001). Few of these are widely studied and clinically accepted, while most lack empirical evidence. Although existing studies conclude that therapy is better than no treatment, there is lack of consensus on treatment characteristics important in child and adolescent sexual abuse therapy (Hetzel-Riggin, Brausch, & Montgomery, 2007). Further, little is known about culturally-specific holistic and coherent responses to CSA. A Constructivist Grounded Theory (Charmaz, 2006) study was conducted to investigate therapeutic approaches practiced by professionals in India and the UK with child and adolescent survivors of CSA, and to understand the factors that govern the choice of an approach or model adopted. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 32 professionals (16 each in India and the UK) from different settings including statutory, voluntary and private sector. NVIVO 10 was used for data management and analysis of the digitally recorded and transcribed interviews. Although there is a growing emphasis on evidence-based therapies, with most empirical studies focussing on traditional forms of psychotherapy, the actual practice of the professionals interviewed reflected a more fluid, flexible, multi-modal, ecological and integrative approach to CSA-therapy. The findings indicate that the therapeutic interventions progress through four different phases, based on the goals identified by professionals. The goals in turn are influenced by the socio-cultural context, structural factors, and/or trauma understanding of the professionals. Four phases identified in the study are: 1. Social Action Framework, with the goal to identify silenced and invisible children, particularly in a culture of silence and suppression in India; 2. Stabilisation and Resilience Building Framework, found to be practiced in India and the UK, with the goal to ensure safety and build the foundation for ensuing phase of therapy; 3. CSA-Trauma Resolution Framework, where the goal is to uncover the sexual abuse details to facilitate recovery and reintegrate the traumatised child, more visible in therapeutic practice in the UK; and 4. Maintenance and Relapse Prevention Framework, with the goal to prevent relapse and protect from revictimisation and future developmental difficulties. These phases may be mutually exclusive, follow a linear trajectory, or there may be a back and forth movement from one phase to the other. These four phases were integrated to construct a culturally relevant, ecological-based theoretical model of CSA therapy with child and adolescent survivors.

Dissertation / The sensory integration approach originates from physical (anatomical and physiological) evidence whilst the play therapy approach originates from psychological evidence. Apart from play therapy, the researcher has also attended various courses in sensory integration therapy. Although both of these approaches are used as intervention methods with children who display behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, the researcher considered whether it was important for a play therapist to be aware of sensory integration therapy. The researcher then started this study in order to investigate the incidence of sensory integration dysfunction in children who receive play therapy. After completing the study, the researcher is of opinion that it is indeed necessary for play therapists to be aware of sensory integration theory in order to provide holistic play therapy intervention and to ensure positive therapy outcomes. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Play Therapy)

Background More than 2/3 of children and adolescents in Germany regularly suffer from headaches. Headache-related limitations in everyday life, school drop-out and educational impairment are common. Structured therapy programs for young headache patients are widely missing. Methods One hundred eleven patients with frequent migraine and/or tension type headache were treated in a 15 hour group program in afternoons, parallel with school, parents received 7 hours of therapy. At the beginning of the program (T0), 6 (T1) and 12 months (T2) after completion, data on headache related disability (PedMidas), headache frequency, intensity, and pediatric pain disability score (PPDI) were prospectively collected to investigate the effects of the therapy. Results Seventy-five patients (9-19 years, median = 14; 66.7% female) and their parents provided patient reported outcome measures showing at T1 (65 patients) and T2 (47 patients) reduced headache frequency (last 3 months headache days median T0: 30 days; T1: 18 days, reduction of median 12 days since T0; T2: 13 days, reduction of median 17 days since T0). Linear mixed models revealed significant reduction (T0/T1 p = 0,002; T0/T2 p = 0,001). Reduced headache disability has been reported at T1 and T2 (PedMidas median T0 = 30, T1 = 15, T2 = 7; p < 0,001, p < 0,001 respectively). Follow up data of a subgroup of patients 24 months after the treatment point to sustainable effects. Conclusions The interdisciplinary multimodal headache therapy program DreKiP reduces headache frequency and headache related disability significantly 6-12 months following its completion.