Press Release: New book by University of Queensland faculty

February 28th 2013.

A new book written by researchers from The University of Queensland and Queensland Health offers a unique guide for therapists and professionals to successfully work with children.

The Art and Science of Motivation: A therapist’s guide to working with children, to be launched on March 4, uses Self Determination Theory (SDT) to examine the effect of motivation and personality on a child’s behaviour.

Authors Professor Jenny Ziviani, Dr Anne Poulsen and Associate Professor Monica Cuskelly combine years of clinical and research experience to provide practitioners with a sound theoretical basis that supports the way they engage with children and their parents in therapy.

Professor Ziviani, from UQ’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, said the book highlighted the importance of children and parents being involved in decisions around a child’s care and the need for practitioners to provide information in a comprehensible fashion.

“We encourage practitioners to provide choice where possible, as this helps children and parents feel they are active participants in therapy and therefore more likely to be committed to achieving their goals,” she said.

“We also examine the importance of the relationship between the therapist and the child/parent; if a child does not want to come along to therapy then this will adversely influence a whole range of outcomes.

Press Release: New book by University of Queensland facultyFebruary 28, 2013 by Shannon