Examining the effect of experiential play therapy on post-traumatic emotional stress level in children

This research aims to reveal the effects of experiential play therapy on the level of emotional stress after trauma in children. In line with this purpose, the research was conducted in a quasi-experimental type. The study group consisted of 50 children aged 3 to 10 who applied to a private counseling center (Mente Psychology) located in the Süleymanpaşa district of Tekirdağ Province with various psychological problems. During the research process, experiential play therapy sessions lasting 45 minutes each were held once a week for a total of 8 weeks for each child. The Socio-Demographic Information Form and the Childhood Trauma Emotional Stress Scale (PEDS) were used to collect research data. The SPSS 28 program was used in the analysis of the obtained data. When the research findings were examined, it was found that the implementation of Experiential Play Therapy significantly reduced the levels of psychological symptoms in children and that the therapeutic intervention was effective. There was also a noticeable decrease in fear and anxiety symptoms compared to before the therapy. It was determined that there was a reduction in feelings of loneliness and sleep problems, with children experiencing these issues less frequently. Attention and memory-related problems also significantly decreased after therapy. Moreover, a significant decrease was observed in somatization and regressive behaviors. Keywords: Play Therapy, Experiential Play Therapy, Trauma, Post-Traumatic Emotional Stress.