Does a free-play intervention promote playfulness and peer interaction in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder?

Abstract

Preschool children with ASD often display deficits in play and social interactions. The present study aimed to investigate their play patterns and social interaction rates in a free-play condition; and evaluate the impact of a free-play intervention programme. Two studies were conducted. Study 1 was an observational study that examined the overt play behaviours of 28 preschoolers with mild and moderate ASD during 30-minute free play in a special education setting and provided quantitative data on their social interactions with peers and adults through video coding. Using the momentary time-sampling method, this study showed that they spent a majority of play time alone; engaged in repetitive behaviours occasionally; have more social interactions with adults than with peers during free play. It highlighted the need for play interventions to foster their playful engagement and social interactions especially with peers, facilitating their later social outcomes. Study 2 was an interventional study with a two-arm quasi-experimental design. It investigated the effects of a 6-weeau free-play intervention with loose parts play technique on peer play interactions in preschool children with mild to moderate ASD (n = 25) and the change in playfulness within the intervention group (n = 9). The changes in peer play interactions were assessed through the use of parent- and teacher-report measures. While no improvements in peer play interactions were reported from the parents’ rating, the teacher ratings showed that participants’ cooperative behaviours increased following the 6-week intervention. The participants within the intervention group also demonstrated a higher playfulness level. The findings thus indicated the therapeutical value of free-play interventions in fostering interactive play competencies and the internal quality of play in preschool children with ASD.