The Research Foundations of
Play Prescription®


Play Prescription® is backed by decades of research in psychology, neuroscience, child development, and play therapy — combined with practical insights from reflective practice and philosophy, and integrates it into a method you can actually use.

Pillar 1: Childhood Experiences

  • Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Study (Felitti et al., 1998). Early adversity predicts long-term physical, relational, and emotional outcomes.

  • Gabor Maté (2008). Shows how unresolved childhood stress shapes adult health and parenting.

  • Bessel van der Kolk (2014). Demonstrates that trauma lives in the body and behaviour, not just memory.

  • Bruce Perry (2006). Highlights the critical role of safe relationships in healing childhood trauma.

 

👉 What this means for Play Prescription®:

 

Our childhood experiences create the blueprint for how we parent, lead, and relate. These patterns don’t disappear on their own — but when we become aware of them, we gain the power to respond differently. Play Prescription® helps professionals and parents recognise those patterns so they can show up in ways that foster growth and connection.

Pillar 2: Needs Underlying Behaviour

  • Ross Greene (2014). Behaviour reflects unmet skills and needs: “kids do well if they can.”

  • Stuart Shanker (2016). Distinguishes stress behaviour from misbehaviour and emphasises co-regulation.

  • Attachment Research (Ainsworth, Bowlby, 1978). Secure attachment fosters resilience and emotional regulation.

  • Dan Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson (2011, 2014). Show behaviour as communication of underlying needs rather than defiance.

 

👉 What this means for Play Prescription®:

 

Behaviour is communication. Underneath every outburst or withdrawal is a need for safety, skill, or connection. Play Prescription® shifts the focus from managing behaviour to understanding what drives it — giving adults tools to respond with clarity instead of control.

Pillar 3: Self-Commitment & Inner Work

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) (Hayes, Strosahl, & Wilson, 1999). Psychological flexibility as the foundation of wellbeing.

  • Kristin Neff (2003; 2011). Self-compassion as a predictor of resilience and lower parenting stress.

  • Pragmatism (John Dewey, 1938). Knowledge only matters when it’s applied in real life.

  • Critical Reflection Models (Paul & Elder, 2006; Gibbs, 1988). Reflection drives growth and professional effectiveness.

  • Joe Dispenza (Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself, 2012). Demonstrates how intentional focus and mental rehearsal can rewire the brain for change.

 

👉 What this means for Play Prescription®:

 

Change starts from the inside. Research shows self-compassion, reflection, and intentional practice create the space to respond differently. Play Prescription® gives professionals a practical structure for turning awareness into meaningful action.

Pillar 4: Role of the Environment

  • Urie Bronfenbrenner (1979). Development occurs within layers of environment — family, community, culture.

  • James Clear (2018). Habits are shaped by systems and environments that either support or sabotage growth.

  • Harvard Center on the Developing Child (2010–ongoing). Stable environments buffer stress and promote resilience.

 

👉 What this means for Play Prescription®:

 

Environments are never neutral — they push us toward or away from the outcomes we want. From habit cues to family culture, the spaces we live and work in shape what’s possible. Play Prescription® helps adults design environments that support healing and growth rather than work against it.

 

Pillar 5: Therapeutic Play

  • Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT): Empowers children through non-directive play, improving self-regulation and resilience.

  • Filial Therapy & Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT): Train parents in therapeutic play skills to strengthen attachment.

  • Cognitive-Behavioral Play Therapy (CBPT): Uses play alongside CBT for targeted interventions.

  • Prescriptive Play Therapy: Matches play interventions to the child’s unique needs.

  • Meta-analyses (Bratton et al., 2005; Lin & Bratton, 2015): Confirm play therapy’s overall effectiveness.

 

👉 What this means for Play Prescription®:

 

Play is more than fun — it’s a proven pathway to healing and growth. Decades of research confirm that therapeutic play strengthens attachment, builds resilience, and supports emotional regulation. Play Prescription® brings these evidence-based tools into everyday life so professionals and parents can use them where they matter most.

Play Prescription® doesn’t “fix” people. It offers a framework grounded in research that empowers adults to see differently, respond differently, and create the conditions where growth and healing happen — alongside children.