Citation

Parker MM, Glickman CP, Smelser Q, DeRaedt M. Int. J. Play Ther. 2021; 30: 61-71.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, American Psychological Association)

DOI

10.1037/pla0000141

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Mass shootings and gun violence are becoming more and more commonplace in the United States. Gun control continues to be a controversial topic in America. This controversy extends to the playroom and play therapy literature, as play therapists grapple with the decision to include or exclude toy guns from the playroom. Within this phenomenological study, play therapists considered and defined their decisions to include/exclude guns within the playroom. Themes identified included the influence of personal and theoretical beliefs on inclusion and exclusion, child development, toys as metaphors, and boundaries and limit setting around toy guns in the playroom. Implications, limitations, and directions for future research are explored. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)

Language: en

Keywords

Childhood Development; Firearms; Gun Violence; Inclusion; Mass Murder; Metaphor; Play Therapy; Sociocultural Factors; Therapist Attitudes; Toys