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Play Note

The Impact of Play on Stress

The Impact of Play on Stress

Play and Stress in Animals

  • Burgdorf and associates at Northwestern University published a research study in 2017 entitled “Rough-and-Tumble play induces resilience to stress in rats.” The rats were segmented into a play group and a control group. Both groups were exposed to a “chronic unpredictable stress” (CUS) protocol. The CUS protocol was designed to emulate Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in humans. In multiple behavioral tests, the data demonstrated that rats in the play group were more resilient to stress.
  • Burleson and associates published a paper in the Behavioral Neuroscience journal in 2016.  Young hamsters were divided into two groups – a play group that were housed with their peers and a control group paired only with the mother, with whom they do not play.  The hamsters were then exposed to “social defeat” stimuli (isolation from the majority group) and then their brains were examined.  The non-play hamsters demonstrated disrupted brain development and significantly greater vulnerability to social isolation.
  • Norsica and Palagi published a study in the 2011 issue of the journal Primates.  The scientists observed a group of captive marmoset primates for three types of behavior – aggressive, playful, and stressful.  They concluded that playful behavior had a strong impact on limiting stress.

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

AAP, the medical society for Pediatricians established a “Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health”.  In 2018, the committee published a clinical report entitled: The Power of Play: A Pediatric Role in Enhancing Development in Young Children.  This well documented report makes a strong case for the value of play in child development.  Its findings include the following:

  • To manage toxic stress, children need to develop a range of skills as they grow.  Neuropsychologists use the term “executive function” to describe the thinking processes humans develop to do reasoning and problem-solving. The report states: “Research demonstrates that developmentally appropriate play with parents and peers is a singular opportunity to promote the social-emotional, cognitive, language, and self-regulation skills that build executive function and a prosocial brain. Furthermore, play supports the formation of the safe, stable, and nurturing relationships with all caregivers that children need to thrive… Play is not frivolous… it allows us to pursue goals and ignore distractions.”
  • Play and stress are closely linked. Research by Wang concludes that high amounts of play are associated with low levels of cortisol, suggesting either that play reduces stress or that those unstressed play more.  Play also activates norepinephrine, improving brain plasticity. A report published in the journal Pediatrics concludes that play, especially when accompanied by nurturing caregiving, modulates adversity and reduces toxic stress to levels that are more compatible with coping and resilience.

The white paper concludes that Pediatricians “need to promote the benefits of play and to write a prescription for play at well visits to complement reach out and read.”  Furthermore, “Pediatricians can play an important role in emphasizing the role of a balanced curriculum that includes the importance of playful learning for the promotion of healthy child development.”

International Play Association (IPA): How Play Impacts the Brain

 In June 2023, the International Play Association made a blogpost entitled “The Science of Play: How Play Impacts Brain Development”.  The blogpost makes the following points:

  • As we age, the brain adapts and changes, forming new neural connections, strengthening existing pathways, and refining important cognitive functions. This phenomenon is known as neuroplasticity. Play has been found to have a significant influence on neuroplasticity, particularly during early childhood. 
  • Play stimulates the release of dopamine, which is associated with pleasure and motivation, and endorphins, which promote feelings of well-being. These neurochemicals enhance neuroplasticity, making the brain more receptive to learning.
  • Physical play stimulates the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good hormones. This promotes a positive mood, reduces stress levels, and contributes to overall emotional well-being. 
  • Furthermore, play has a direct impact on the development of executive functions, allowing children to gain greater control over their behavior, exhibit improved attention spans, and demonstrate enhanced problem-solving abilities.

Playfulness and Coping with Stress

In 2013, Cale Magnuson and Lynn Barnett at the University of Illinois explored the relationship between playfulness, perceived stress, and coping mechanisms.  The research subjects were 898 students from three universities, ages 18-27 years.  The students completed questionnaires addressing the key variables as follows: 

  • Playfulness: a playfulness score was developed for each respondent based on their self-assessment of 15 descriptors (based on the work of Barnett, 2007)
  • Perceived Stress: a score measuring perceived stress over the past month was obtained using respondents’ answers to 14 questions (based on the work of Cohen, 1983)
  • Coping Styles: the instrument identifies the respondents’ preferences for 14 distinct coping styles – active coping, planning, denial, self-distraction, substance abuse, etc. (based on the work of Carver, 1997)

Major findings

  • Individuals with low playfulness scores experienced higher levels of perceived stress.  The researchers postulate that low playfulness individuals may not have the resources to cope with stressors.  Playful individuals seem to keep stressors in perspective and prevent them from affecting other facets of their life.
  • The coping mechanisms used by playful individuals were cognitive-emotional in nature and engagement focused (e.g., active coping, acceptance, positive reframing).  Individuals with low playful scores were more apt to use avoidance and disengagement to cope.

Conclusion

The results suggest that playfulness serves a strong adaptive function, providing individuals with specific cognitive resources to cope with stressful situations.  The authors postulate that the benefits of playfulness extend beyond childhood.  Adult playfulness seems to contribute to resilience, by enabling effective coping styles in the face of stressful situations.  This resilience may explain why playful adults reported lower levels of perceived stress.

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