Investigating the Effectiveness of Adlerian Play Therapy (AdPT) with Children with Disruptive Behaviors: A Single-Case Research Design (SCRD)

Abstract

Disruptive behaviors can be defined as aggressive and rule-breaking behaviors, and examples of such behaviors may include lying, cheating, displaying lack of guilt/remorse, stealing, swearing, arguing, being mean to others, destroying one’s own personal property or that of others, and getting into fights with others (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001). It is estimated that 10 million children who are identified as having disruptive behaviors will not receive the mental health services they need (Mental Health America, 2010). This gap in services is in part due to insufficient family resources, lack of access to care, and a shortage of identified quality services for children (Mental Health America, 2010; President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, 2003; U.S. Public Health Service, 2000). Because children spend a significant number of hours each day in school, school personnel such as school counselors or school-based counselors have been tasked with providing interventions that meet the mental health needs of children requiring services, such as those with disruptive behaviors (President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, 2003).