Integrating Play in Trauma-Informed Care: Multidisciplinary Pediatric Healthcare Provider Perspectives

• Published in: Psychological services 2019-02, Vol.16 (1), p.7-15
• Main Authors: Stenman, Katherine, Christofferson, Jennifer, Alderfer, Melissa A., Pierce, Jessica, Kelly, Carrie, Schifano, Elizabeth, Klaff, Samantha, Sciolla, Jennifer, Deatrick, Janet, Kazak, Anne E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Boredom; Cardiology; Childhood; Childhood Play Behavior; Content analysis; Disease control; Emotions; Endocrinology; Families & family life; Family; Female; Health care; Health Personnel Attitudes; Hospitals; Human; Infections; Interdisciplinary aspects; Interdisciplinary Treatment Approach; Male; Medical treatment; Oncology; Orthopedics; Pediatrics; Qualitative research; Relatives; Stress Reactions; Test Construction; Training; Trauma; Trauma-Informed Care; Traumatic life events; Traumatic stress; Viability
• ISSN: 1541-1559; 1939-148X
• DOI: 10.1037/ser0000294

Children and their family members may experience potentially traumatic events during medical treatment that can result in pediatric medical traumatic stress reactions. Play is a normative part of childhood that may facilitate engagement in medical care and may be incorporated in trauma-informed care. This qualitative study used semistructured interviews to examine the role of play and its potential use in trauma-informed care. The perspectives of 30 multidisciplinary pediatric healthcare providers representing 5 divisions (Cardiology, Endocrinology, Oncology, Orthopedics, Pulmonology) in 2 children's hospitals were gathered. Constant comparison and directed content analysis were used to analyze the data. Themes and subthemes were derived in 3 areas: (a) aspects of pediatric medical care that are potentially traumatic (specific events; and physical, emotional, and family-level consequences), (b) uses of play in pediatric healthcare settings (general [relieve boredom] and trauma-specific [prevention/alleviation]), and (c) potential barriers to the use of play in trauma-informed care (infection control; lack of provider training). The results document aspects of pediatric medical experiences that providers recognize as potentially traumatic, highlighting the importance of trauma-informed care. They also identify ways to use play to engage with children and families in a trauma-informed way. Additional training and development regarding play may increase the viability of using play in trauma-informed pediatric healthcare.