Da ludoterapia não-diretiva à ludoterapia centrada na criança - desenvolvimento histórico / From non-directive play therapy to child-centered play therapy - historical development / De la terapia de juego no-directiva a terapia de juego centrada en el nino - desarollo histórico

O desenvolvimento da Abordagem Centrada na Pessoa foi dividido em fases que apresentam as atitudes que fazem parte da relação terapêutica, independente do público atendido. Contudo, na especificidade da psicoterapia infantil, o desenvolvimento teórico e prático da própria abordagem aponta para a existência de peculiaridades. Este estudo tem como objetivo apresentar, através de uma revisão narrativa de literatura, fundamentada na hermenêutica filosófica de Gadamer, as possíveis características relativas ao atendimento de crianças a partir de um retorno às fases da ACP. Discutimos os fundamentos iniciais do atendimento com crianças em Rogers ena perspectiva clássica de Axline, compreendendo como a ludoterapia com crianças se caracteriza nas fases não-diretiva, reflexiva, experiencial e pós-rogeriana. Discutimos sobre propostas contemporâneas nos contextos europeu, estadunidense e brasileiro. Concluímos que essa delimitação do atendimento infantil possibilita uma percepção mais clara das mudanças e aprimoramentos em relação aos trabalhos pioneiros de Rogers e Axline, sempre tendo como eixo a dimensão relacional e a tendência ao crescimento como motor do processo terapêutico.

The development of the Person-Centered Approach was divided into phases that presents the attitudes that are part of therapeutic relationship, regardless of the public served. However, in the specificity of child psychotherapy, the theoretical and practical development of the approach points to the existence of peculiarities. This study aims to present, through narrative literature review, based on Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics, the possible characteristics related to the child therapy, starting from a return to the PCA phases. We discuss the foundations of child therapy in Rogers and Axline's classic perspective, understanding how child play therapy is characterized in non-directive, reflective, experiential and post-Rogerian phases. We discuss contemporary proposals in the European, American, and Brazilian contexts. We conclude that this delimitation enables a clearer perception of changes and improvements amongst to the Rogers and Axline's pioneering work, always having as its axis the relational dimension and the tendency to growth as a motor of the therapeutic process.

El desarrollo del Enfoque Centrado en la Persona se dividió en fases que presentan las actitudes de la relación terapéutica, independiente del público. Sin embargo, en la especificidad de la psicoterapia infantil, el desarrollo teórico y práctico del enfoque en sí mismo apunta la existencia de peculiaridades. Este estudio tiene como objetivo presentar, a través de una revisión narrativa de la literatura, basado em la hermenéutica filosófica de Gadamer, las posibles características de la psicoterapia con niños, desde el retorno a las fases de ECP. Discutimos los fundamentos de la psicoterapia con niños en Rogers, la perspectiva clásica de Axline, comprendiendo como la terapia de juego com los niños se caracterizan em las fases no directiva, reflexiva, experiencial y pos-rogeriana. Discutimos propuestas contemporáneas en los contextos europeo, estadounidense y brasileño. Concluimos que esta delimitación permite una percepción más clara de los cambios y mejoras en relación con los trabajos pioneros de Rogers y Axline, teniendo siempre como eje la dimensión relacional y la tendencia al crecimiento como motor del proceso terapéutico.

Efectos del juguete terapéutico instructivo en la terapia intravenosa en niños hospitalizados / Effects of the Instructive Therapeutic Toy on Intravenous Therapy for Hospitalized Children

Introducción: El juguete terapéutico instructivo puede revelar las necesidades implícitas al paciente y ayudarle a comprender las metodologías, diagnósticos y terapias a las que será sometido, lo que promueve su tranquilidad, seguridad y acuerdo con el tratamiento, además de proporcionar una mejor interacción con los profesionales de la salud. Objetivo: Analizar los efectos del uso del juguete terapéutico instructivo en la preparación del niño hospitalizado para realizar la terapia intravenosa. Métodos: Estudio cuasi-experimental de enfoque cuantitativo, realizado en un hospital pediátrico público de la ciudad de Juazeiro do Norte- Ceará, Brasil. La población de estudio fue compuesta por 31 niños en edad preescolar y escolar. La recolección de datos se realizó de julio a septiembre de 2019, a través de la observación, y el análisis se realizó a través del programa Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, por medio de la Prueba t y McNemar. Resultados: Hubo una reducción estadísticamente significativa de todas las variables que indican una menor aceptación del niño a la terapia intravenosa, con la excepción de la variable colabora pasivamente. Si bien hubo un aumento estadísticamente significativo en algunas variables que indican una mayor aceptación del niño a la terapia intravenosa. Conclusión: El juguete terapéutico instructivo se establece como una herramienta tecnológica fundamental para la promoción de la responsabilidad, la autonomía y la corresponsabilidad del cuidado de la salud, valoración del sujeto/usuario como un ser humano singular, y la deconstrucción de prácticas de salud deshumanizadas, especialmente en enfermería pediátrica(AU)

Introduction: The instructive therapeutic toy can reveal the needs implicit to the patient and help them understand the methodologies, diagnoses and therapies to which they will be subjected, which promotes his peace of mind, safety and agreement with treatment, in addition to providing better interaction with healthcare professionals. Objective: To analyze the effects of using the instructive therapeutic toy in the preparation of the hospitalized child prior to performing intravenous therapy. Methods: Quasiexperimental study with a quantitative approach, carried out in a public pediatric hospital in Juazeiro do Norte City, Ceará, Brazil. The study population consisted of 31 preschool and school-age children. Data collection was carried out from July to September 2019, through observation, and the analysis was carried out by means of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences program, using t-test and McNemar's test. Results: There was a statistically significant reduction in all the variables that indicate the child´s lower acceptance of intravenous therapy, with the exception of the variable they collaborate passively. However, there was a statistically significant increase in some variables that indicate the child's greater acceptance of intravenous therapy. Conclusion: The instructive therapeutic toy is established as a fundamental technological tool for promoting responsibility, autonomy and co-responsibility of health care, valuating the subject/user as a singular human being, and the deconstruction of dehumanized health practices, especially in pediatric nursing(AU)

Fostering Innovation in Prevention and Treatment of Obesity in Youth: Digitally Mediated Physical Play as an Exemplar.

Novel approaches to obesity prevention among youth are needed. Accordingly, the Office of Women's Health, Department of Health and Human Services, sponsored a challenge to create an interactive video game for obesity prevention. Our team took a theory-based, evidence-informed approach to increasing physical activity in girls. Our approach-digitally mediated physical play-allowed us to include computing-based strategies that promote activity without keeping players in front of a screen. Our prize-winning prototype app, Frolic, helps girls choose the perfect game to play in any context, engaging parents for support. The app is used to highlight some opportunities and challenges for interdisciplinary collaboration. However, much work remains to be done to deploy innovative digital obesity interventions and fully capture the contributions of these tools. In order to accelerate advances, funding is needed for projects that combine engineering design principles with traditional obesity research paradigms.

Randomised Controlled Trial of a Therapeutic Playgroup for Children with Developmental Delays.

A single-blind randomised control trial investigated the effectiveness of the Learn, Engage and Play (LEaP) playgroup. Seventy-one children with developmental delay were randomly allocated to an 8-week LEaP playgroup or control group and followed up at 12 and 28 weeks. On the primary outcome measure, LEaP demonstrated significant within group changes at 28 weeks (parenting distress p = 0.018) but no between group changes. On secondary outcome measures, at 12 weeks LEaP produced significantly better outcomes than control in goal achievement (performance p = 0.022; function p = 0.008) and family-support (p = 0.024), with LEaP continuing to demonstrate significantly better goal achievement (child performance p = 0.042; function p = 0.012) at 28 weeks. Findings indicate LEaP may assist in improving family-support and goal achievement outcomes for children with developmental delays.

Believing in Make-Believe: Efficacy of a Pretend Play Intervention for School-Aged Children with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by socio-emotional deficits, and difficulties with pretend play skills. Play skills are related to processes of adaptive functioning and emotion understanding. The present pilot study implemented an in-person pretend play intervention to school-aged children (ages 6 to 9 years, intervention group = 18, control group = 7) diagnosed with high-functioning ASD (HF-ASD), to increase children's cognitive and affective play skills, and emotional understanding abilities. The intervention consisted of 5 weekly sessions, 15-20 minutes each. The intervention group significantly increased in imagination and cognitive play skills, which generalized to increased skills in emotional understanding. Findings demonstrate the positive impact of a short, easily facilitated, accessible play intervention for school-aged children with HF-ASD.

Can I Learn to Play? Randomized Control Trial to Assess Effectiveness of a Peer-Mediated Intervention to Improve Play in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Play is often used in interventions to improve social outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Play is a primary occupation of childhood and, therefore, an important outcome of intervention. The Ultimate Guide to Play, Language and Friendship (PLF) is a peer-mediated intervention for 6-11-year-old children with ASD. A total of 68 dyads were randomized to either a 10-week treatment first or waitlist control group. Results revealed a significant moderate intervention effect from pre- to post-intervention, which was maintained to the 3-month follow-up clinic session and generalized to the home environment. The findings support that the PLF intervention can be used to positively improve play in 6-11-year-old children with ASD.Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, https://www.anzctr.org.au/ (ACTRN12615000008527; Universal Trial Number: U1111-1165-2708).

Diversidade humana e interseccionalidade: problematização na formação de profissionais da saúde / Human diversity and intersectionality: problematization in the education of health professionals / Diversidad humana e interseccionalidad: problematización en la formación de profesionales de la salud

Inspiradas em intervenções lúdicas no campo da Educação, relatamos a construção de um jogo de tabuleiro com personagens que apresentam algumas características de privilégios e desigualdades econômicas, sociais e históricas. Trata-se de um relato de experiência que objetiva descrever uma estratégia pedagógica, visibilizando a diversidade humana com graduandos de cursos da Saúde de uma universidade no Nordeste brasileiro. Foram debatidos temas relativos a diversidade, interseccionalidade e relações de poder, dialogando com o racismo, o machismo, o capacitismo, a operacionalização das políticas de saúde e sua influência na prática profissional. Consideramos que a estratégia pedagógica demonstra que essas questões são invisíveis nas práticas de saúde e quão, muitas vezes, são sustentados discursos que legitimam as desigualdades tomando-as como naturais, o que demonstra a importância da problematização dos temas abordados para a formação do profissional de saúde. (AU)

Inspired by game-based learning interventions in the field of education, we describe the development of a board game with characters who have characteristics representing privilege and historical social and economic inequalities. This article is an experience report aimed at describing a pedagogical strategy that makes human diversity visible developed with undergraduate health students at a university in the northeast of Brazil. Topics related to diversity, intersectionality and power relations were debated in dialogue with racism, machismo, capacitism and the operationalization of health policies and their influence on professional practice. The pedagogical strategy demonstrates that these questions are invisible in health practices and just how much discourses that legitimize inequalities are often sustained, making them normal. This demonstrates the importance of problematizing the topics addressed by this study in the education of health professionals. (AU)

Inspiradas en intervenciones lúdicas en el campo de la educación, relatamos la construcción de un juego de mesa con personajes que presentan algunas características de privilegios y desigualdades económicas, sociales e históricas. Se trata de un relato de experiencia cuyo objetivo es describir una estrategia pedagógica que visibiliza la diversidad humana ante los alumnos de graduación de cursos de salud de una universidad en el nordeste brasileño. Se discutieron temas relativos a la diversidad, interseccionalidad y relaciones de poder, dialogando con el racismo, el machismo, el capacitismo y la puesta en operación de las políticas de salud y su influencia en la práctica profesional. Consideramos que la estrategia pedagógica demuestra que esas cuestiones son invisibles en las prácticas de salud y hasta qué punto, muchas veces, se sostienen discursos que legitiman las desigualdades, viéndolas como si fueran naturales, lo que demuestra la importancia de la problematización de los temas abordados para la formación del profesional de salud. (AU)

Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory of school sandplay group therapy with maladjustment behavior in Korean adolescent.

School sandplay group therapy is a useful clinical treatment method for adolescents who cannot adapt to school due to various emotional and behavioral problems. In this study, we conducted 10 weeks of group therapy in 70 adolescents referred to as maladjustment behavior problem in the school. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical effects of sandplay therapy on the emotions and behaviors objectively through minnesota multiphasic personality test -2. There was a statistically significant difference in clinical scales such as depression, masculinity- femininity, social introversion, anger, subjective depression, need for affection, somatic complaint, and internal/external alienation after school sandplay group therapy. Sandplay therapy is estimated to have clinical effects not only on the emotional problems of maladapted high school students but also on physical problems.

Effectiveness of a home-based early cognitive-motor intervention provided in daycare, home care, and foster care settings: Changes in motor development and context affordances.

BACKGROUND: Appropriate opportunities within the context are crucial to affect the motor trajectory positively. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of professional-parental/caregivers' early motor-cognitive intervention on infants' motor development in Daycare (DC), Home Care (HC), and Foster Care (FC). Secondary objectives were to examine if parents and caregivers modified the context to meet the infants' needs and if making modifications was positively associated with infants' development. METHODS: Participants were 176 infants (DC = 48; HC = 58, FC = 70). Infants' were randomly assigned to intervention (IG) or comparison (CG) groups within each context. The Alberta Infant Motor Scale and Affordances in the Daycare and Home Environment for Motor Development were used. A cognitive-motor intervention was provided for infants in the intervention groups; and, a home-based support protocol for all caregivers and parents. RESULTS: IGs showed higher motor scores at post-test than CGs (p values from 0.018 to 0.026) and positive changes were observed from the pre-to-post intervention for all IGs (p ≤ .0001), and for two CGs (DC p ≤ .0001; HC p = .028). Maternal daily care and home opportunities improved for all infants. CONCLUSIONS: Parents/caregivers' protocol combined with the cognitive-motor intervention lead to better motor outcomes and changes in the context for the IGs. Only the parent/caregivers' protocol was not strong to improve CGs motor outcomes, although changes in context were found. Intensive intervention is need for infants living in vulnerability.

Playback theatre in adult day centers: A creative group intervention for community-dwelling older adults.

The literature indicates that theatre and drama-based interventions have the potential to improve older adults' well-being and health. The goal of the current study was to characterize the process of a creative group intervention in adult day centers (ADCs), which integrates playback theatre and life-review principles. Our objective was to provide an evidence-informed framework for drama therapy interventions, which would allow older adults to bring up and explore their life-stories in a dramatic creative process in their own community. A total of 27 participants ranging in age from 63 to 91, took part in one of three playback theatre groups. The playback theatre group intervention comprised 12 weekly sessions. All sessions were videotaped to capture the lived experience of the creative process and were analyzed in post-intervention interviews. In addition, focus group meetings were conducted with 13 ADC staff members to decipher further the effects of the participation as perceived by people outside the groups. Three types of potential transformation were identified in the qualitative analysis: the evolution of life stories, evolution of playfulness, and expansion of social engagement. The results indicate the potential of the integrative framework to serve as a creative intervention in ADC communities, as well as its potential to bring about a personal transformation and expand it to enable a person's social engagement in the community. The findings imply the potential benefits of using playback theatre groups to supplement the routine care provided in ADCs.

Trauma-informed art and play therapy: Pilot study outcomes for children and mothers in domestic violence shelters in the United States and South Africa.

BACKGROUND: While intimate partner violence (IPV) has well documented impact on women and children, few interventions have been tested for mothers and children in the domestic violence shelter system. OBJECTIVE: We used mixed methods to explore effects of a pilot intervention combining trauma focused cognitive behavior therapy (TF-CBT) (verbal therapy method) with art and play therapy (non-verbal therapy methods) in New York City and Johannesburg, to compare efficacy between high and low-middle income contexts. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: School-aged children and their mothers from one domestic violence shelter in each city were invited to participate. METHODS: Children were screened for depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Children participated in a weekly group session lasting 1-2 hours over 12 weeks and mothers received 3 group sessions. Quantitative data comprised pre-and post-intervention child self-reports (n = 21) and mother's report (n = 16) of child depressive and PTSD symptoms. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with children (n = 11) and mothers (n = 8) who completed the intervention. RESULTS: At baseline, children showed high rates of symptoms of probable depression and probable PTSD (33 % and 66 % respectively). By endline, depressive symptoms significantly reduced (mean of 13.7-8.3,p = 0.01) and there was a non-significant trend towards PTSD improvement (40.0-34.4, p = 0.21). Children revealed the art helped them express difficult emotions and experiences with their mothers. Multiple children felt it assisted in managing challenging behaviours. CONCLUSION: This pilot trauma-informed art and play therapy group intervention holds promise in mitigating the effects of IPV for children and mothers in domestic violence shelters.

Understanding the dramatic therapeutic play session: a contribution to pediatric nursing.

OBJECTIVES: to understand how the dramatic therapeutic play session occurs within the care of hospitalized children. METHODS: qualitative multiple case study, using theoretical references, such as symbolic interactionism and Vygotsky's theory of symbolic play. Twenty play sessions performed with six children from 3 to 10 years old were analyzed, each corresponding to one case. RESULTS: these sessions demonstrated that a dramatic therapeutic play session is a process of four interdependent and complementary steps: bonding, exploring, dramatizing, and play cessation. They also revealed the imaginary situations externalized by the child, the importance of the exploration step for which they manage the imaginary situation and catharsis, and how her higher psychological faculties are articulated during this process. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: the results contribute to the understanding of the conduct and analysis of the dramatic therapeutic play session, reinforcing the importance of its use in pediatric nursing care practice.

The effect of play puzzle therapy on anxiety of children on preschooler in Kota Kendari hospital

Anxiety is an internal response that gives danger signals to individuals. An anxiety reaction in preschool children arises from the effect of hospitalization where the child loses control of himself. This study aims to determine the effect of giving play therapy to arrange puzzles for anxiety in preschoolers in the Kendari City childcare room. Quantitative research was done with the design of quasi experiments among preschool children as samples treated in hospitals. The results showed that the level of anxiety of preschoolers experienced a significant decrease after being given puzzle play therapy. The conclusion in this study showed that puzzle play therapy effected anxiety levels in preschoolers

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Systematic review of the impact of unstructured play interventions to improve young children's physical, social, and emotional wellbeing.

This review aimed to examine the effectiveness of unstructured play interventions on young children's physical, emotional and social wellbeing in various community settings. Eligibility criteria of articles included (1) studies which included young children aged three to seven years; (2) intervention studies which involved unstructured, free or loose parts play; (3) experimental or randomized controlled trial designs, with or without random allocation to groups; and (4) target variables of the study should include measurable physical, social or psychological constructs as modifiable outcomes. Electronic searches were conducted from June 2018 to March 2019 in ERIC, MEDLINE, PubMed, ProQuest, Sage Publications, Web of Science, Scopus, and Sociological Abstracts. Data were extracted from the included studies independently by using a pilot form. The study outcome measures of unstructured play in the eight selected articles were categorized into three aspects of children's physical health, social skills and emotional wellbeing. All studies reported positive impacts on children's physical activity level, social engagement and emotional wellbeing. We conclude that our review with identified impacts would assist future research directions and policy implementation in this promising field..

Efficacy of Supporting Play Exploration and Early Development Intervention in the First Months of Life for Infants Born Very Preterm: 3-Arm Randomized Clinical Trial Protocol.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this project is to study the effect of a physical therapist intervention provided in the first months of life on developmental outcomes of infants born very preterm. Secondary aims are to investigate the impact of intervention timing on the efficacy and impact of the intervention on infants with and without cerebral palsy. METHODS: This study is a multisite longitudinal controlled trial comparing developmental outcomes from infants in the Supporting Play, Exploration, and Early Development Intervention (SPEEDI)_Late or SPEEDI_Early group to a usual care group. SETTINGS ARE URBAN: Urban and rural areas surrounding 2 academic medical centers. There will be 90 preterm infants enrolled in this study born at <29 weeks of gestation. SPEEDI is a developmental intervention provided by collaboration between a physical therapist and parent to support a child's motor and cognitive development. The primary outcome measure is the Bayley Scale of Infant and Toddler Development Cognitive and Gross Motor Scaled Scores. Secondary measures include behavioral coding of early problem solving skills, the Gross Motor Function Measure, and Test of Infant Motor Performance. IMPACT: More than 270,000 infants are born very preterm in the United States each year, 50% of whom will have neurological dysfunction that limits their ability to keep pace with peers who are typically developing. This study is a step toward understanding the impact that intensive developmental intervention could have in this population in the first months of life.

Using the instructional therapeutic play during admission of children to hospital: the perception of the family.

OBJECTIVE: To understand, from the family's perspective, the meaning of admitting the child in the hospital with the use of the instructional therapeutic play. METHOD: A phenomenological research with 12 families of children aged four to nine years old, recently admitted to a public and teaching hospital, in the inland of the state of São Paulo, from October to December 2016. They participated in an instructional therapeutic play session focusing on the procedures performed at hospital admission: weight, height, and vital sign measurements and test collection. The families, in turn, were invited to participate in a phenomenological interview the day after the session. RESULTS: The instructional therapeutic play collaborated in the therapeutic procedures by understanding and modifying the child's behavior. Also stressed by the families was the need for the toy to be incorporated as nursing care. CONCLUSION: Given the benefits to the child, the family believes that this strategy should be performed as a routine nursing care and, therefore, performed systematically during child hospitalization.

Doll therapy intervention for women with dementia living in nursing homes: a randomized single-blind controlled trial protocol.

BACKGROUND: Doll therapy is a non-pharmacological intervention for people with dementia aimed to reduce distressing behaviours. Reliable results on the efficacy of Doll therapy for people with dementia are needed. The concept of attachment theorised by Bowlby has been proposed to explain the Doll therapy process, but it has not been proven to influence the response to doll presentation. METHODS/DESIGN: This single-blind, randomised controlled trial will involve people with dementia living in nursing homes of the Canton Ticino (Switzerland). Participants will be randomised to one of two interventions: Doll Therapy Intervention or Sham Intervention with a non-anthropomorphic object, using a 1:1 allocation ratio. The two interventions will consist of 30 daily sessions lasting an hour at most, led by a trained nurse for an hour at most. We will enrol 64 participants per group, according to power analysis using an estimated medium effect size (f = 0.25), an alpha level of 0.05, and a power of 0.8. The primary goal is to test the efficacy of the Doll Therapy Intervention versus the Sham Intervention as the net change in the following measures from baseline to 30 days (blinded outcomes): the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Nursing Home administered by a trained psychologist blinded to group assignment, the professional caregivers' perceived stress scale of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Nursing Home, patients' physiological indices of stress (salivary cortisol, blood pressure and heart rate) and interactive behaviours. The secondary goal is to assess the relationship between attachment styles of people with dementia (detected by means of the Adult Attachment Interview to the patients' offspring) and their caregiving behaviours shown during the Doll Therapy Intervention. DISCUSSION: This is the first single-blind, randomised controlled trial on the efficacy of Doll therapy for dementia and an explanatory model of the response of people with dementia to doll presentation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT03224143. Retrospectively registered on 21 July 2017.

Play as a Method to Reduce Overweight and Obesity in Children: An RCT.

BACKGROUND: Overweight and obesity are the result of a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors, which begins prenatally. AIM: To analyse an intervention based on play as a means of improving the body composition of children who are overweight or obese. METHODS: The Kids-Play study is a randomized clinical trial (RCT) consisting of 49 children aged 8-12 years on a nine-month intervention programme based on physical activity, play and nutritional advice. Controls had another 49 children, who received only nutritional advice. RESULTS: The play-based intervention achieved a moderate-vigorous level of physical activity in the study group of 81.18 min per day, while the corresponding level for the control group was only 37.34 min. At the start of the intervention, the children in the study group had an average body fat content of 41.66%, a level that decreased to 38.85% by the end of the programme. Among the control group, body fat increased from 38.83% to 41.4% during the same period. CONCLUSIONS: The intervention programme considered, based on both play and nutritional recommendations, produced a decrease in body fat among children aged 8-12 years. However, the control group, which received only nutritional recommendations, experienced an increase in body weight.

Serious Game-based Intervention for Children with Developmental Disabilities.

BACKGROUND: Children with developmental disabilities may need support with motor skills such as balance improvement, cognitive skills such as vocabulary learning, or social skills such as adequate interpretation of emotional expressions. Digital interactive games could support the standard treatments. We aimed to review clinical studies which investigated the application of serious games in children with developmental disabilities. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE and Scopus on 05 May 2019 limited to the English language. We included people between two and 24 years of age who were affected by neurodevelopmental disorders and who received digital serious game-based medical interventions such as any computer- based or video-based games. We considered any study design reporting primary data. We used title, abstract, and full-text of journal articles to build diagnostic groups, and we described some selected specific game applications. RESULTS: The majority of the 145 relevant studies reported on autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), developmental coordination disorder (DCD), and disabilities affecting intellectual abilities (DAIA). 30 of the 145 studies reported a randomized design. We detailed six specific applications aimed at improving abilities in children with ASD, ADHD, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome. We visualized the diagnostic groups by bibliographic mapping, and limited the text to the title and abstract of journal articles. CONCLUSION: We identified promising results regarding anxiety reduction, stress regulation, emotion recognition, and rehabilitation. Currently, there appears to be a lack of clinical evidence that children with neurodevelopmental disorders can benefit from the application of serious games.