Effectiveness of Play Therapy in Improving Emotional Regulation among Children with Anxiety

Nasiya Niyas

Abstract: Childhood anxiety is a prevalent psychological concern affecting emotional regulation, social functioning, and overall development. Emotional regulation refers to the ability to monitor and manage emotional responses adaptively. Children with anxiety often struggle to express and control emotions, leading to maladaptive coping and heightened distress. Play therapy is a developmentally appropriate intervention allowing children to express emotions symbolically and develop self-regulation skills. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of play therapy in improving emotional regulation among children with anxiety. A pre-test?post-test experimental design was employed with a sample of 20 children aged 6-12 years diagnosed with mild to moderate anxiety. Standardized tools, including the Spence Children?s Anxiety Scale (SCAS) and the Emotion Regulation Checklist (ERC), were administered before and after an 8-10 session structured play therapy intervention. Paired sample t-tests revealed a significant improvement in emotional regulation scores following the intervention. Findings suggest that play therapy is an effective approach for enhancing emotional regulation in children with anxiety, with important implications for clinical practice in child psychology.

Keywords: Play therapy, emotional regulation, childhood anxiety, child psychology, intervention

How to Cite?: Nasiya Niyas, "Effectiveness of Play Therapy in Improving Emotional Regulation among Children with Anxiety", Volume 14 Issue 12, December 2025, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 2072-2074, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR251223205421, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR251223205421