Responding to children’s ‘emotion talk’: a conversation analysis of a therapeutic encounter between a social worker and two siblings using child-centred play therapy

ABSTRACT

Reflection of feelings is a hallmark strategy of non-directive child-centred play therapy that enhances children’s emotional awareness and equips them with emotionally expressive words. The case presented here describes the application of child-centred play therapy by a social worker with two young children (aged four and six) with sibling rivalry issues. One of the sessions was videotaped, which enabled the use of conversation analysis to dissect the language patterns used by both the clients and the social worker. This in-depth verbal analysis illuminated subtle nuances in the children’s interactions and behaviour while also providing the social worker with the opportunity to reflect on practice. This case discussion presents a snapshot of that session and allows readers to understand how such therapy occurs.

KEYWORDS:

• Child-centred play therapy (CCPT)
• conversation analysis (CA)
• sibling rivalry
• emotion

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Elsa Ngai Hung

Elsa Ngai Hung is a Registered Play Therapist and a Certified AutPlay Provider. She has been active in the children and youth field for ten years. She has extensive experience working with children, teens and families.

Grace Suk-Man Leung

Grace Suk-Man Leung is currently an Assistant Professor of Practice at the Department of Social Work and Social Administration at the University of Hong Kong. Her interests center on children mental well-being, evidence-base practice and social work education. She is devoted to developing indigenous interventions helping children and families to tackle hurdles in life.

Johnson Chun-Sing Cheung

Johnson Chun-Sing Cheung is currently a Lecturer at the Department of Social Work at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He teaches social work research, program evaluation, community work and other courses at both postgraduate and undergraduate levels.