Using Time-delay to Improve Social Play Skills with Peers for Children with Autism

Abstract

Interventions that teach social communication and play skills are crucial for the development of children with autism. The time delay procedure is effective in teaching language acquisition, social use of language, discrete behaviors, and chained activities to individuals with autism and developmental delays. In this study, three boys with autism, attending a non-public school, were taught play activities that combined a play sequence with requesting peer assistance, using a graduated time delay procedure. A multiple-baseline across subjects design demonstrated the success of this procedure to teach multiple-step social play sequences. Results indicated an additional gain of an increase in pretend play by one of the participants. Two also demonstrated a generalization of the skills learned through the time delay procedure.

Effects of Peer-Mediated Instruction to Teach Use of Speech-Generating Devices to Students with Autism in Social Game Routines

“…Both verbal instructions and gestural prompts (e.g., pointing to a message on the SGD) were used by the trainer in this regard. Trainer prompts to the confederates for SGD modeling were provided following a 5-to 15-s time delay (Liber, Frea, & Symon, 2008) each time an opportunity for modeling arose; for example, the trainer might tell a confederate to activate ''My turn'' when it was his or her turn, or ''Your turn'' þ a confederate's name at the end of each turn. Trainer prompts to confederates for SGD activation by a student with ASD were also provided a following a 5-to 15-s delay.…”

Intervention Programs for Developing Play Skills in Children With Autistic Spectrum Disorder to Foster Interaction

“…Regardless of all the challenges, positive assistance from the teacher stimulated the positive environment for the children to increase interactions. Liber, et al (2008) recruited three boys with autism, who were educated and trained to play activities that were merged with the sequence of play along with peer support. The results indicated significant increase in the attitude of one boy; while, other two learned more with time and in longer duration.…”

Effectiveness of Instruction Performed through ComputerAssisted Activity Schedules on On-Schedule and Role-Play Skills of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…In children who show typical development, the playing skill emerges on its own, with limited adult assistance and modeling, and has the quality of being a natural reinforcer (Lovaas, 2003). The development of play skills in children with ASD differs significantly from that of their peers in terms of participating in play activities and peer interaction (Liber, Frea, & Symon, 2008). Children with ASD tend to occupy themselves with part of an object for a period of time, and their interaction with the item often cannot be regarded as play because the object is not used in line with its purpose (e.g., removing a toy car's wheels and spinning them around, shaking part of a toy with a hand) (Naber et al, 2008;Rutherford, Young, Hepburn, & Rogers, 2007).…”