An interest‐based intervention package to increase peer social interaction in young children with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

The literature suggests that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) educated in inclusive settings generally do not interact with typically developing classmates during social activities. This study assessed whether an intervention package consisting of interest‐based structured play activities involving adult instruction, modeling, and response to child questions would result in an increase in social interaction with typically developing peers. A multiple baseline design across four participants with an embedded reversal was used to demonstrate the effects of the intervention on social interaction during structured play sessions. Initiations, responses, and interactive play increased for all participants. Generalization to novel peers was observed, and treatment gains were maintained during 6‐week follow‐up sessions. Recommendations for practitioners working with children with ASD in inclusive settings and potential areas of future research are discussed.

Combining Preferred Activities With Peer Support to Increase Social Interactions Between Preschoolers With ASD and Typically Developing Peers

“…Much of the research in this area has been conducted in the United States, yet the inclusion of students with ASD in general educational settings is a recommended and growing practice worldwide (Watkins, Ledbetter-Cho, et al, 2019). In China, access to and participation in general education for Chinese students with ASD varies greatly by geographic area, disability severity, resources, and the availability and knowledge of professionals (Hu et al, 2018).…”

“Box Box on the Shelve! Tell Me!”: The Effects of Adapted Plays on Physical Fitness in Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…This study was conducted to examine the effects of adapted play activities on the physical fitness of individuals with ASD. In the literature, there are numerous studies reporting that physical activities have positive effects on the development areas of individuals with ASD (Ganz & Flores, 2008;Watkins, O'Reilly, Kuhn, & Ledbetter-Cho, 2019;Blanc, Adrien, Roux, & Barthélémy, 2005;Jung, & Sainato, 2015;Jung & Sainato, 2013). However, this study primarily focused on the effect of the adapted play on physical fitness.…”

A Naturalistic Behavioral Intervention to Increase Interaction between Siblings with and without Autism

“…Parent report and researcher observation indicated participants rarely had sustained interaction with their siblings during play activities at home. One participant, Julia, had previously participated in an intervention targeting social interaction with classmates in a classroom setting (Watkins et al, 2019), but neither dyad in the present study had participated in an intervention targeting social interaction with their siblings at home.…”

“…Dependent variables included frequency of participant initiations directed to a sibling and frequency of participant responses immediately following the sibling's initiation. Initiations were operationally defined as any verbal, nonverbal, or motor behaviors directed toward a sibling such as greetings, asking questions, commenting, sharing materials, or helping behaviors (Tsao & Odom, 2006;Watkins et al, 2019). Examples of social initiations included verbal phrases such as "let's play," "watch this," or "your turn," and nonverbal or motor behaviors such as the participant leading the sibling to play materials, handing a sibling a toy to play with, sharing materials, or gesturing for a sibling to take a turn.…”

“…Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to address these gaps in the literature by assessing the effects of a naturalistic behavioral intervention on social interaction between typically developing siblings and siblings with mild-moderate to severe characteristics of ASD. Specifically, the current study asked: (1) Could strategies used in a school-based study to improve peer interaction (i.e., interest-based play activities with adult instruction, modeling, and response to child questions [Watkins et al, 2019]) be successfully replicated with siblings in the natural home setting? ; (2) Would the intervention improve social interaction behaviors for both children with varied characteristics of ASD and their typically developing siblings?…”