title: Play as occupation: implications for the handicapped.
abstract: That play is a need-fulfilling and appropriate occupation in the life of every person, and particularly in the life of the handicapped, is the basic assumption of this paper. Play is defined, characterized, and discussed in relationship to its role in the treatment process. Various classical and modern theories of play are presented, with the optimum arousal theory of play presented as most significant in the rehabilitation process of the handicapped individual. The approach to this assumption is basically theoretical, and concludes with pragmatic suggestions for optimizing the meaningful involvement of patients in play.
mesh_terms: D001143:Arousal; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D006801:Humans; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D010988:Play and Playthings