Dr. Regine Chung Receives Student Research Award at Association for Play Therapy Annual Conference

Dr. Regine Chung, assistant professor of clinical mental health counseling at Niagara University, was recognized with the Student Research Award by the Association for Play Therapy during its annual international conference in Atlanta, Ga., Oct. 15-20, 2024. Dr. Chung received the honor for her study of the substantive impact of Child-Centered Play Therapy on the social-emotional development and behavioral challenges of autistic children.

Dr. Chung also shared her findings during a poster presentation at the conference. Her research was the first repeated-measures study exploring the impact of CCPT, an evidence-based child mental health intervention, on autistic children's social-emotional assets and emotional and behavioral problems.

Dr. Chung's findings indicate that increased time spent in CCPT improved social-emotional assets, including empathy and social competence, and reduced emotional and behavioral problems, including irritability, social withdrawal, and hyperactivity/noncompliance. In addition, teachers reported substantive changes in participants' social-emotional assets as early as eight CCPT sessions and a reduction in emotional and behavioral concerns as early as 12 CCPT sessions.

"Autism intervention researchers have historically focused heavily on behavioral interventions, but research on mental health interventions remains scarce," Dr. Chung said. "The results of this study affirm the utility of CCPT in promoting holistic development in social and emotional domains for autistic children through child-directed play, and pave the way for future research on the mental wellness of autistic children, underscoring the potential of CCPT as a social-emotional intervention.

"In my clinical experience, I have worked with numerous children on the spectrum who struggle to express themselves or process their internal experiences due to being neurodivergent and experiencing speech and language delays," she continued. "CCPT offers a non-verbal communication method, allowing children to express themselves fully through their play. I am extremely honored to be able to work with each participant in this study and witness their growth."

Dr. Chung also led the workshop "Play on the Spectrum: Child-Centered Play Therapy for Autistic Children," at the conference, which provided play therapists with actionable steps to engage autistic children and support their holistic development in the therapeutic process.

Dr. Chung specializes in working with neurodivergent populations, as well as clinical issues concerning relational trauma, anxiety, and bicultural identity development. In her clinical and research roles, Dr. Chung emphasizes culturally inclusive and developmentally appropriate approaches to mental health. She was a founding board member of the Hong Kong Academy of Play Therapy and former assistant director of the University of North Texas Center for Play Therapy. She holds a Ph.D. in counseling from the University of North Texas and an M.So.Sc. in counseling from the City University of Hong Kong.