Theraplay
n. a short-term attachment-based intervention in which elements of play therapy (e.g., games, playful interaction) are used to strengthen parent–child bonds and to promote secure attachments, self-regulation, and communication skills in children. The intervention has been used primarily to help families at high risk for dysfunctional parent–child (or caregiver–child) relationships, including families with foster or adopted children who are struggling with attachment problems and families with children who have autism, social anxiety, language disorders, or other conditions affecting a child’s ability to establish or maintain relationships with others. [originated in the late 1960s for Head Start preschoolers by German-born U.S. psychologist Ann M. Jernberg (1928–1993) and colleagues]