Play Therapists in Japan: Training, Methods, Practices, and Perceptions

Although play therapy (PT) has a high index of acceptance in Japan, Japanese practitioners are underrepresented in extant surveys of play therapists (PTs). As a result, little is known about their unique characteristics, education/training, practices, and perceptions. To fill this gap, we conducted a modified replication of prior PT survey research. The responses of 333 Japanese child-focused mental health professionals reveal that most practitioners are female, hold master's degrees, and have clinical psychologist certifications. They likely work part-time, in an educational or hospital setting. Most complete PT coursework, but receive disproportionately few hours of supervision. A majority (80%) use more than one theoretical approach. The most frequently endorsed primary approaches are child-centered, psychodynamic, or eclectic therapy. PT is commonly used to treat school-related, social skills, and familial concerns. A majority (77.9%) of PTs perceive their work as helpful or very helpful. Four-level, within group analyses of variance revealed statistically significant main effects for differences in therapists' use and effectiveness ratings of psychodynamic, child-centered, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and behavioral therapy (BT) treatment elements. CBT techniques were used least and regarded as less effective than elements of other theoretical approaches. Compared to the prior survey results, PTs in Japan are less likely to work in private practice, receive less supervision in PT, have less exposure to CBT PT, and focus on somewhat different clinical issues. Findings suggest a link between culture and treatment preferences, and support the need to bolster supervision opportunities, expand CBT PT exposure, and adapt PT to address the unique cultural and clinical issues in Japan.