Parent Play Therapy Shows Promise in Addressing Depression among Preschoolers

The thought of a little tot suffering from major depressive disorder seems out-of-place and very far-etched from a child’s world yet it happens to children as young as three years of age. The image of a small child carrying a sad burden is very distressing. Though rare, it’s an increasingly common phenomenon today especially when poverty, parent divorce and neglect and domestic abuse is rampant. And it affects little ones from the very bottom to the very top of the society.
The most recent studies suggest that clinical depression among 3 year olds may be an early manifestation of childhood mood disorder. Like adult depression, it is caused by changes in the normal chemistry of the brain. How it originates is still a mystery and still subject to study. Though most tots who had this condition also have anxiety problems, it’s not yet clear whether it is the cause of depression. However, it is clear that treatment of depression in children should be different from what is done in adults. However, no study has investigated the best way of treating the disorder among preschool children.
One pilot study investigated the role of the parent in treating depression in their own children. Termed as Parent Child Interaction Therapy – Emotion Development (PCIT-ED), it is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on hands on psycho-educational program wherein parent-child relationship is strengthened through the use of positive play techniques. The parent is coached along the way, and given additional training for handling noncompliance and disruptive behavior. PCIT-ED is designed to enhance parent’s ability to recognize emotions in self and in the child, and how to effectively address intense ones.
The study is funded by the U.S NIMH (National Institute for Mental Health). The researchers believed that parents are the key to solve depression in their children and therefore vital for the success of treatment. In an experiment, researchers divided 54 preschoolers into either PCIT-ED or to the psycho-education in random.
After observing for 12 weeks, depression symptoms in both groups declined significantly. Those who were assigned to PCIT-ED group showed positive improvements in terms of executive functioning, anxiety, hyperactivity, conduct problems, hostility and inattention while those at psycho-education group showed improvements against separation anxiety. Researchers noted that parents of children in PCIT-ED group report lesser stress and reduced maternal depression, a finding not present in the psycho-education group.
This shows that PCIT-ED is beneficial and acceptable to families. Though the results of the experiment is promising, researchers noted that its just a preliminary investigation. Further and large-scale clinical trials must be done to ensure its efficacy and effectivity in treating depression among preschoolers.
Meanwhile, one symptom parents should always watch for is prolonged sadness that lingers, say for a couple of weeks. Most tots, when faced with a sad situation (like being in a fight with a friend) are able to get over in a couple of days, and bounce back completely from an adverse experience. Brining the child initially to pediatrician can help whether additional treatment from a psychiatrist is needed. Though antidepressants seem to be a quick solution, other methods should be explored first which could be more effective than using medication, without the side effects.