The Role and Effectiveness of Play Therapy in Improving the Physiotherapy Experience of Children: A Systematic Review

Background and Aim: Children, due to their developmental and psychological characteristics, often experience anxiety, resistance, and reduced cooperation during physiotherapy sessions. These conditions can complicate the treatment process and decrease the effectiveness of interventions. Play therapy, as a child-centered and innovative approach, is applied to reduce fear and anxiety and enhance cooperation in therapeutic settings. This study aimed to systematically review the existing evidence on the role and effectiveness of play therapy in improving children's physiotherapy experience. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar using related keywords including Play Therapy, Physiotherapy, Children, Pediatric Rehabilitation. This review was designed and implemented based on PRISMA guidelines. Articles published between ۲۰۱۵ and ۲۰۲۵ that investigated play therapy interventions during or alongside pediatric physiotherapy sessions were included. In the initial search, ۸۶۸ articles were identified. After removing duplicates and screening titles and abstracts, ۸۳ articles underwent full-text review. Finally, ۱۳ eligible studies were included in the analysis. Results: The reviewed studies indicated that play therapy, whether in the form of traditional motor and interactive activities or through modern technologies such as digital games and virtual reality, significantly reduced anxiety and perceived pain, enhanced cooperation and motivation, and improved functional outcomes of children during physiotherapy sessions. Conclusion: Available evidence suggests that integrating play therapy into pediatric physiotherapy can improve the therapeutic experience and functional outcomes of children. Given the limited sample sizes and heterogeneity of study designs, future research with stronger methodologies and long-term follow-up is recommended.

کلیدواژه ها:

Play Therapy ، Physiotherapy ، Children ، Pediatric Rehabilitation