A naturalistic observation of the play behaviour of children with autism spectrum disorders /
Abstract
Cognitive and social levels of play engaged in by four-to-eight-year-old children
with autism spectrum disorders were examined in naturalistic classroom settings. In
addition, play at home was compared with play at school via parent and educator
interviews. Seventeen school-age children, their educators and caregivers participated in
the study. The most frequently observed play behaviours included parallel-functional
play, adult interactions and solitary-functional play. The play of the children in the
current study was consistent with that of typically-developing preschoolers. Mothers and
educators did not differ significantly in their perspectives of the participants' play
behaviours. In general, educators' and caregivers' reports were positively related to
researcher observations of participants' play behaviours. Methodological considerations
and practical implications for the findings are discussed.