What is Developmental Behavioural Intervention? (with Play Therapy Focus)
Education Tip: Play therapy is especially effective for young children who may not have the words to express big feelings. Through play, therapists can observe, guide, and support children’s development in a safe, fun environment.
Developmental Behavioural Intervention (DBI) is a family-centered, evidence-based approach that helps children build essential skills through positive, supportive interactions. At Clear Health Solutions, DBI often incorporates play therapy—using play as a natural way for children to express themselves, learn new behaviors, and practice social skills. Play therapy in DBI can involve role-playing, games, and creative activities, all guided by our trained therapists to support growth in communication, emotional regulation, and problem-solving.
Education Tip: Play therapy is especially effective for young children who may not have the words to express big feelings. Through play, therapists can observe, guide, and support children’s development in a safe, fun environment.
The Power of Play: How Developmental Behavioural Intervention Supports Your Child's Growth
When parents first hear about therapeutic interventions for their children, the terminology can feel overwhelming. But what if we told you that some of the most effective approaches to helping children develop essential skills look a lot like something they already love to do? That’s the beauty of Developmental Behavioural Intervention (DBI), especially when combined with Play Therapy.
Understanding Developmental Behavioural Intervention
Developmental Behavioural Intervention is a family-centered, evidence-based approach designed to help children build the foundational skills they need to thrive. Unlike more traditional therapy models that might feel clinical or rigid, DBI recognizes that children develop best within the context of their natural relationships and environments. This means that families aren’t just observers in the therapeutic process—they’re active participants and partners.
The evidence base for DBI is robust, drawing from decades of research in child development, behavioral psychology, and family systems theory. What makes this approach particularly effective is its flexibility. Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all method, DBI therapists tailor their strategies to each child’s unique strengths, challenges, and developmental stage.
The Magic of Play Therapy in DBI
At Clear Health Solutions, we’ve found that incorporating play therapy into our DBI framework creates powerful opportunities for growth. Why? Because play is the language of childhood. It’s how children naturally explore their world, process their experiences, and practice new skills.
Play therapy isn’t just about having fun—though fun is certainly part of it. It’s a carefully structured approach that uses play as a therapeutic tool. When children engage in play within a therapeutic setting, they’re able to express thoughts and feelings they might not have words for yet. They can work through challenges, experiment with different behaviors, and develop skills in a context that feels safe and familiar.
Our trained therapists guide these play sessions with intention, creating opportunities for children to practice communication, develop emotional regulation, and strengthen their problem-solving abilities. The playroom becomes a laboratory for learning, where mistakes are welcomed as learning opportunities and successes are celebrated.
What Play Therapy Looks Like in Practice
You might be wondering what actually happens during a play therapy session within the DBI framework. The activities are diverse and always tailored to the individual child’s needs and interests.
Role-playing is one powerful tool our therapists use. Through pretend play—whether it’s playing house, acting out different scenarios, or using puppets to tell stories—children can practice social interactions in a low-stakes environment. A child who struggles with sharing might work through scenarios where characters take turns. A child working on expressing emotions might use dolls or action figures to act out different feelings and appropriate responses.
Games provide another rich opportunity for learning. Board games teach turn-taking, following rules, and handling both winning and losing gracefully. Cooperative games build teamwork skills. Even simple games like catch or building with blocks can support gross motor development, patience, and persistence.
Creative activities—art, music, sand play, or storytelling—offer children alternative ways to express themselves and process their experiences. A child who has difficulty talking about their anxiety might paint their feelings or create a story where a character overcomes their fears.
The Skills That Emerge Through Play
The skills children develop through play therapy in DBI are far-reaching and practical. Communication skills blossom as children learn to express their needs, ask questions, and engage in back-and-forth conversations. Even children who are pre-verbal or have language delays can develop communication skills through gestures, sounds, and eventually words during play interactions.
Emotional regulation—the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one’s emotions—is another critical area of growth. Through play, children can practice identifying different emotions in themselves and others. They learn strategies for calming down when upset, expressing anger appropriately, and celebrating joy. Our therapists help children build an emotional vocabulary and develop their own toolkit of coping strategies.
Problem-solving skills naturally emerge during play. When a block tower keeps falling, when a puzzle piece won’t fit, when a game doesn’t go as planned—these are all opportunities to think critically, try different approaches, and develop resilience. Our therapists scaffold these experiences, providing just enough support to help children succeed while still allowing them to experience the satisfaction of figuring things out.
The Family-Centered Difference
What sets DBI apart from other therapeutic approaches is its emphasis on involving the whole family. Parents aren’t just dropping their child off for therapy—they’re learning strategies they can use at home, receiving coaching on how to support their child’s development, and gaining insights into their child’s unique way of experiencing the world.
Our therapists work closely with families to ensure that the skills practiced during therapy sessions translate into real-world success. We share observations, teach techniques, and help parents recognize and create opportunities for growth in everyday moments. Reading a book together, preparing a meal, or running errands can all become chances to practice the skills being developed in therapy.
This family-centered approach also means that we honor and respect each family’s values, culture, and circumstances. We recognize that families are the experts on their own children, and we work collaboratively to set goals and create plans that make sense for each unique situation.
The Evidence Behind the Approach
Parents naturally want to know that the interventions their children receive are backed by science. DBI has a strong evidence base, with research consistently showing positive outcomes for children across various developmental challenges. Studies have demonstrated improvements in social skills, communication, adaptive behavior, and reduction in challenging behaviors.
Play therapy itself has been researched extensively, with meta-analyses showing it to be effective for a wide range of childhood issues. When combined with the structured, developmental focus of DBI, play therapy becomes an even more powerful tool for supporting children’s growth.
Starting the Journey
If you’re considering DBI with play therapy for your child, you might be wondering what the first steps look like. At Clear Health Solutions, the process begins with a comprehensive assessment to understand your child’s current skills, challenges, and developmental profile. We also take time to learn about your family’s goals and priorities.
From there, we develop an individualized treatment plan that incorporates play therapy techniques aligned with your child’s needs. Sessions are typically engaging and dynamic, with therapists following your child’s lead while gently guiding them toward therapeutic goals.
Progress in DBI isn’t always linear—children develop in spurts and plateaus, and that’s perfectly normal. What matters is that we’re creating positive experiences, building skills, and supporting your child’s overall development in a way that feels natural and enjoyable.
The Power of Positive, Supportive Interactions
At its core, DBI is about creating positive, supportive interactions that help children learn and grow. Whether it’s through play therapy, parent coaching, or everyday moments, we’re building on children’s strengths and helping them develop new capabilities.
The beauty of this approach is that it doesn’t just help children build skills—it helps them build confidence. When children experience success, when they feel understood, when they learn that they can overcome challenges, they develop a positive sense of self that will serve them throughout their lives.
If you’re interested in learning more about how Developmental Behavioural Intervention and play therapy might support your child’s development, we invite you to reach out to our team at Clear Health Solutions. Together, we can explore whether this evidence-based, family-centered approach is the right fit for your family’s journey.
