Effectiveness of play therapy on the level of anxiety among hospitalized children admitted to selected wards at a tertiary care centre, Lucknow

Abstract

Background: Play is essential for children’s physical and emotional development. Play therapy utilizes this natural ability to promote emotional well-being and self-expression. Methods: A quasi-experimental, time series non-equivalent control group design was used with 70 children (3-6 years) admitted to paediatric wards at Vivekananda Polyclinic and Institute of Medical Sciences (V. P. I. M. S.), Lucknow. The modified preschool anxiety scale was administered to both groups. Play therapy (building blocks, puzzles, doctor/kitchen sets, drawing) was introduced for the experimental group from day 3 to day 6 (two-hour sessions). Results: The experimental group showed a significant anxiety reduction (p<0.001), while the control group exhibited minimal improvement. Conclusions: The findings confirm that play therapy effectively reduces anxiety in hospitalized children.