Abstract

The article introduces cognitive behavioral play therapy as a therapeutic approach for preschool and school-aged children, as well as to their families. It examines studies and clinical cases supporting the effectiveness of play therapy in treating a variety of problems, emphasizing the empirical support for the use of cognitive behavioral techniques in play therapy and highlighting the relationship between play and cognitive development in children. It underlines the importance of designing protocol phases and the potential application of cognitive behavioral techniques for children aged 3 to 8 through the use of play in therapy. Finally, it addresses the sensitive issue of empirical support research and clinical effectiveness of therapy in hospital and school settings, through cognitive behavioral play interventions for both clinical and non-clinical populations.