Recommended Solution

            We believe the best way to help children with post traumatic stress disorder from the Tsunami is play therapy, a form of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy. Studies from as far back as the 1940s have shown play therapy to be an effective way to help treat psychological disorder in children. Play therapy has an advantage over other solutions in being able to overcome cultural and communication barriers. Play therapy also gives children a sense of normality.                                                           

Overcoming Cultural Barriers

            Play therapy is able to overcome the cultural barriers which can hinder psychological recovery. For example in Sri Lanka,  where verbal expression of negative emotions is not socially acceptable, play therapy can allow these children to express their emotions using pictures, singing, and games. Play therapy is able to mold itself to different cultures by using similar games normally played by children in a specific region. While a game in one culture is acceptable, the same game in another culture  wouldn�t be socially acceptable.

Overcoming Communication Barriers

            Play therapy uses games, instead of oral communications  to help children.  Play therapy is able to overcome the limitation of children lacking the necessary language skills to effectively communicate their emotions. Play therapy does not rely as heavily on translators, as the other methods, since it doesn�t focus on talking about problems. 

 Play Therapy and Normality

            Play therapy allows children to see how their peers react to the tsunami in the same way.  For example, by seeing another peer draw a similar picture of people drowning, a child is better able to understand the acceptability of their reaction.  A child is likely to repress their emotions  if they think their reaction is different from others.  With play therapy since children will be more able to express their reaction, allowing for psychological healing to be quicker. Play therapy also gives these children a sense of normality in life, since they are doing something they would normally do in life.