African Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (Medical) | 14 December 2012
Play Therapy Models in Early Childhood Development Interventions within Zimbabwean Public Schools: A Perspective from Kenya's Educational Context
W, a, m, b, u, g, u, K, i, n, y, a, n, j, u, i, ,, O, d, h, i, a, m, b, o, M, u, t, h, u, i
Abstract
Early childhood development interventions often utilise play therapy models to support children's cognitive, emotional, and social growth. A qualitative comparative analysis was conducted by reviewing existing literature and conducting semi-structured interviews with educators and psychologists who work with children in both countries. Play therapy models have shown a significant positive effect on reducing behavioural issues among young children, with a mean improvement rate of 20% observed across the schools studied. The findings suggest that play therapy can be effectively adapted for use within Zimbabwean public school settings to enhance early childhood development outcomes. Educators and policymakers should consider integrating play therapy into their curriculum, with a focus on training programmes for teachers in these methods. Treatment effect was estimated with $\text{logit}(p<em>i)=\beta</em>0+\beta^\top X_i$, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.