Assessment & Treatment Planning Flashcards

A 9-year-old's play assessment reveals highly organized, rule-bound play with extreme distress when rules are violated. This pattern MOST warrants exploration of:

Answer: Anxiety disorders or obsessive-compulsive features

Highly rigid, rule-bound play with significant distress at violations is a clinical indicator of anxiety or obsessive-compulsive features warranting further assessment.

Which assessment approach is MOST consistent with child-centered play therapy (CCPT) philosophy?

Answer: Informal ongoing observation of the child's freely chosen play themes and behaviors

CCPT philosophy prioritizes informal, ongoing naturalistic observation of the child's freely chosen play as the primary assessment method, honoring the child's self-direction.

A treatment plan goal is labeled 'distal.' This means it represents:

Answer: A long-term outcome expected at or after treatment termination

Distal goals represent long-term outcomes expected at or after the conclusion of treatment, in contrast to proximal goals that target immediate change.

A child consistently assigns the 'villain' role to themselves during dramatic play across multiple sessions. This recurrent pattern is MOST clinically relevant because it may reflect:

Answer: Internalized shame, poor self-concept, or identification with the aggressor

A child repeatedly casting themselves as the villain across sessions may reflect internalized shame, a negative self-concept, or identification with the aggressor — all clinically significant themes.

The RPT receives a referral stating the child 'has ADHD.' The MOST appropriate assessment response is to:

Answer: Conduct an independent play-based assessment to develop the RPT's own clinical formulation

The RPT should conduct an independent play-based assessment to develop their own clinical formulation rather than uncritically adopting a referral diagnosis.

Which element of a play therapy treatment plan MOST directly addresses cultural humility?

Answer: Incorporation of culturally relevant play materials and value-consistent goals

Incorporating culturally relevant play materials and value-consistent goals directly reflects cultural humility and ensures the treatment plan is meaningful and appropriate for the child's cultural context.

A play therapy assessment reveals the child's play is consistently at a developmental level 2 years below their chronological age. This finding MOST suggests the need to:

Answer: Match therapeutic interventions to the child's developmental play level, not chronological age

The RPT should match therapeutic interventions to the child's observed developmental play level rather than chronological age to ensure developmentally appropriate and effective treatment.