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Open research questions in Child Therapy and Development

422 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 2,680 Child Therapy and Development papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • The ambiguity of Tolman's theoretical framework remained ontologically ambiguous, - The study's claim is limited in scope to the connection between Tolman and Merleau-Ponty's influence on enactivism

    Ambivalent Tolman: Indirect Influence on Enactivism of Tolman's Sign‐Gestaltism Through Merleau‐Ponty · 2026 · DOI

  • A comprehensive reassessment of Tolman's overall place in psychology, - Further exploration of the implicit enactive dimension within Tolman's formalization of cognition

    Ambivalent Tolman: Indirect Influence on Enactivism of Tolman's Sign‐Gestaltism Through Merleau‐Ponty · 2026 · DOI

  • The results suggest that video and app-based games could serve as beneficial, easy-to-access tools to support youth ER through various strategies, with areas for future research to address mixed results and recommendations for addressing digital health improvement.

    Video and App-Based Games for Youth Emotion Regulation: Scoping Review · 2026 · DOI

  • A second limitation of the present study, and maybe with the Smilansky-Parten matrix itself, is that the three factors account for only 47% of the variance in children's free play behavior.

    A Re-examination of the Smilansky-Parten Matrix of Play Behavior · 1987 · DOI

  • Children with special needs face challenges in achieving balanced development. Recreational activities may not be accessible or inclusive for all children with special needs.

    Exploring the Importance of Recreational Activities for the the Holistic Development of Children with Special Needs: A Systematic Review · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need to explore the significance of recreational activities in promoting holistic development in children with special needs. The existing literature lacks a systematic review of the effects of recreational activities on holistic development.

    Exploring the Importance of Recreational Activities for the the Holistic Development of Children with Special Needs: A Systematic Review · 2026 · DOI

  • Investigating the long-term effects of play-based learning on reading literacy. Comparing the effectiveness of play-based learning with other instructional approaches. Examining the impact of play-based learning on other academic subjects.

    EFFECTIVENESS OF PLAY-BASED LEARNING STRATEGIES IN IMPROVING READING LITERACY OF GRADE 1 LEARNERS · 2026 · DOI

  • The limitations of traditional teacher-directed instruction in promoting creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking. The need for research on the effectiveness of play-based learning in improving reading literacy. The lack of understanding of the challenges encountered during play-based learning activities.

    EFFECTIVENESS OF PLAY-BASED LEARNING STRATEGIES IN IMPROVING READING LITERACY OF GRADE 1 LEARNERS · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of research on the effectiveness of play therapy in reducing tantrum behavior. There is a need for more studies on the impact of play therapy on emotional regulation in early childhood.

    Play Therapy Techniques as an Intervention to Address Tantrums in Early Childhood · 2026 · DOI

  • For PAUD Teachers: Integrate play therapy principles into classroom management and counseling to create a supportive emotional environment. 2. For Parents: Maintain consistency by using structured play at home to stimulate emotional regulation, avoiding repressive responses to tantrums. 3. For Institutions: Develop school-based counseling programs and provide therapeutic play facilities and teacher training. 4. For Future Researchers: Employ true experimental designs with control groups and larger, more diverse samples to enhance the generalizability of these findings. REFERENCES 1) Belden, A. C., Thomson, N. R., & Luby, J. L. (2016). Temper tantrums in healthy versus depressed and disruptive preschoolers: Defining tantrum behaviors associated with clinical problems. The Journal of Pediatrics, 166(3), 779–785. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.11.039 2) Bratton, S. C., Ray, D., Rhine, T., & Jones, L. (2017). The efficacy of play therapy with children: A meta-analytic review. International Journal of Play Therapy, 26(2), 57–73. https://doi.org/10.1037/pla0000045 3) Denham, S. A., Bassett, H. H., & Wyatt, T. (2015). The socialization of emotional competence. Child Development Perspectives, 9(4), 254–258. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12147 4) Geldard, K., Geldard, D., & Foo, R. (2018). Counseling children: A practical introduction (5th ed.). Sage Publications. 5) Landreth, G. L. (2012). Play therapy: The art of the relationship (3rd ed.). Routledge. 6) Lin, Y. W., & Bratton, S. C. (2021). A meta-analytic review of child-centered play therapy approaches. Journal of Counseling & Development, 99(2), 196–207. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.12375 7) Ray, D. C. (2016). Advanced play therapy: Essential conditions, knowledge, and skills for child practice. Routledge. 8) Shonkoff, J. P., & Phillips, D. A. (2021). From neurons to neighborhoods: The science of early childhood development. National Academy Press. 9) Thompson, R. A., & Steinbeis, N. (2020). Understanding emotion regulation in early development. Developmental Psychology, 56(5), 845–857. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000900 10) Whitebread, D., Basilio, M., Kuvalja, M., & Verma, M. (2020). The importance of play in early childhood development. Early Child Development and Care, 190(5), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2017.1295239 11) Yogman, M., Garner, A., Hutchinson, J., Hirsh-Pasek, K., & Golinkoff, R. M. (2021). The power of play in early childhood development: A pediatric role in enhancing development in young children. Pediatrics, 148(3), e2021050915. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2021-050915 12) Badan Pusat Statistik. (2023). Statistik pendidikan anak usia dini Indonesia. BPS. 13) Kementerian Pendidikan, Kebudayaan, Riset, dan Teknologi. (2022). Laporan capaian pendidikan anak usia dini. Kemendikbudristek.

    Play Therapy Techniques as an Intervention to Address Tantrums in Early Childhood · 2026 · DOI

  • Future studies can investigate the long-term effects of play therapy on emotional regulation in children with ADHD. Future studies can explore the use of play therapy in combination with other interventions for ADHD. Future studies can investigate the effectiveness of play therapy in different populations, such as adults with ADHD.

    Play Therapy and Emotional Regulation in Children with ADHD · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need to investigate the effect of play therapy on emotional regulation in children with ADHD. There is a lack of research on the use of play therapy as an effective intervention for enhancing emotional and behavioral functioning in children with ADHD.

    Play Therapy and Emotional Regulation in Children with ADHD · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need for effective interventions to improve motor and postural control in children with ASD. The study aims to address this gap by investigating the effectiveness of play therapy.

    Effectiveness of Play Therapy to Improve Motor & Postural Control in Children Having Autism Spectral Disorders · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of evidence-based interventions addressing belonging, particularly in schools. There is a need for effective interventions to promote belonging and improve mental health in adolescents.

    Three cluster randomised controlled trials in Portugal, Czechia and the United Kingdom to test the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an augmented social play intervention in schools to support real-world connection and sense of belonging (Lina trial protocol) · 2026 · DOI

  • The need for effective organization of play in preschool education. The lack of understanding of the methods and means of organizing play in preschool education.

    SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF PLAY ACTIVITY IN CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT · 2026 · DOI

  • The study aims to address the gap in understanding the challenges and experiences of kindergarten teachers in implementing play-based learning. The research seeks to explore the lived experiences of kindergarten teachers in implementing play-based learning.

    A phenomenological study on play-based learning in Kindergarten: Experiences, challenges, and coping strategies of teachers · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need to investigate the impact of developmental games on preschool children's development. The study aims to fill this gap by examining the pedagogical significance of developmental games.

    THE IMPORTANCE OF DEVELOPMENTAL GAMES IN ENHANCING SPEECH AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN · 2026 · DOI

  • Existing scholarship is limited in understanding play therapists' efforts to engage in advocacy. There is a need to understand play therapists' perceptions of social justice advocacy.

    Therapists’ Perceptions Toward Social Justice · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need to understand the dynamics of play in the schoolyard. There is a lack of knowledge on how to design schoolyards that cater for varied play types.

    Knowledge on Children’s Play Behaviour During Recess to Be Used for Designing Sustained Playable Schoolyards for All Children · 2026 · DOI

  • Emotional instability and sensitive interpersonal communication among pre-school education students. The need for more participatory and experiential forms of education in mental health education. The challenge of promoting mental health through embodied experience.

    A Structured Behavioral Framework for Mental Health Assessment in Orff-Based Education · 2026 · DOI

  • Traditional mental health education models are unable to meet current needs. There is a lack of participatory and experiential forms of education in mental health education.

    A Structured Behavioral Framework for Mental Health Assessment in Orff-Based Education · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need to identify early signs of developmental delays in preschool children. Prior studies have not fully examined the play behaviors of children with developmental delays.

    Comparison of Play Behaviors of Children with Developmental Delays and Their Normally Developing Peers · 2026 · DOI

  • Children with special needs face challenges in verbal expression and motor coordination. The study had to address the challenges of collecting data from children with special needs.

    Contributions of Musical Activities to the Development of the Verbal and Musical Expression Skills of Children with Special Needs · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research can build on the study's findings to develop more effective programs for children with special needs. Future research can investigate the long-term effects of music-based activities on the development of verbal and musical expression skills.

    Contributions of Musical Activities to the Development of the Verbal and Musical Expression Skills of Children with Special Needs · 2026 · DOI

  • Finally, future research is recommended to collect at least five data per condition to meet the qualitative indicators for single-subject research designs, to design play interventions based on the relationship between cognitive skills and play skills for researchers conducting play research, and to col- lect generalization data in unstructured play environments in play research.

    Play Skills of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta-Analysis of Single-Subject Studies · 2026 · DOI

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422 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 2,680 Child Therapy and Development papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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