Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Increasing the Athletic Group Play of Children with Autism

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A multiple baseline design across three children with autism and within child across activity was used to assess the effects of interventions designed to teach children with autism to play two common athletic group games, handball and 4-square. Treatment consisted of two phases. In Phase I, athletic skills training, the children participated in sessions designed facilitate their acquisition of the athletic skills required by the targeted games. During Phase II, rules training, the children were instructed on the rules of the targeted games. Mastering the athletic skills and participating in rules training resulted in increased athletic group play and concomitant increases in speech. These gains were maintained at 8–16 weeks follow-up. However, generalization to participation in school recess activities did not occur.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Pervasive developmental disorders. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (Fourth edition-text revision; DSM-IV-TR) (pp. 69–70). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

  • Anderson, A., Moore, D. W., Godfrey, R., & Fletcher-Flinn, C. M. (2004). Social skills assessment of children with autism in free-play situations. Autism, 8, 369–385. doi:10.1177/1362361304045216.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Baker, M. J. (2000). Incorporating the thematic ritualistic behaviors of children with autism into games: Increasing play interaction with siblings. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 2, 66–84. doi:10.1177/109830070000200201.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baranek, G. T. (2002). Efficacy of sensory and motor interventions in children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 32, 397–422. doi:10.1023/A:1020541906063.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Blatchford, P., Baines, E., & Pellegrini, A. (2003). The social context of school playground games: Sex and ethnic differences, and changes over time after entry to junior school. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 21, 481–505. doi:10.1348/026151003322535183.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boutot, E. A., Guenther, T., & Crozier, S. (2005). Teaching play skills to young children with autism. Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities, 40, 285–292.

    Google Scholar 

  • Charlop-Christy, M. H., Le, L., & Freeman, K. A. (2000). A comparison of video modeling with in vivo modeling for teaching children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 30, 537–552. doi:10.1023/A:1005635326276.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Coe, D., Matson, J., Fee, V., Manikam, R., & Linarello, C. (1990). Training nonverbal and verbal play skills to mentally retarded and autistic children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 20, 177–187. doi:10.1007/BF02284717.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2007). Applied behavior analysis (2nd ed.). New York: Pearson Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Creasey, G. L., Jarvis, P. A., & Berk, L. E. (1998). Play and social competence. In O. N. Saracho (Ed.), Multiple perspectives on play in early childhood education (pp. 116–145). Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • D’Ateno, P., Mangiapanello, K., & Taylor, B. A. (2003). Using video modeling to teach complex play sequences to a preschooler with autism. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 1, 5–11. doi:10.1177/10983007030050010801.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hine, J. F., & Wolery, M. (2006). Using point-of-view video modeling to teach play to preschoolers with autism. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 26, 83–93. doi:10.1177/02711214060260020301.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hume, K., & Odom, S. (2007). Effects of an individual work system on the independent functioning of students with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37, 1166–1180. doi:10.1007/s10803-006-0260-5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kasari, C., Paparella, T., Freeman, S., & Jahromi, L. B. (2008). Language outcome in autism: Randomized comparison of joint attention and play interventions. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 76, 125–137. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.76.1.125.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lang, R., O’Reilly, M., Rispoli, M., Shogren, K., Machalicek, W., Sigafoos, J., et al. (2009). Review of interventions to increase functional and symbolic play in children with autism. Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities, 44, 481–492.

    Google Scholar 

  • Libby, S., Powell, S., Messer, D., & Jordan, R. (1998). Spontaneous play in children with autism: A reappraisal. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 28, 487–497. doi:10.1023/A:1026095910558.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • MacDonald, R., Clark, M., Garrigan, E., & Vangala, M. (2005). Using video modeling to teach pretend play to children with autism. Journal of Behavioral Interventions, 20, 225–238. doi:10.1002/bin.197.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacDonald, R., Sacramone, S., Mansfield, R., Wiltz, K., Aheam, W. H., & Taylor, B. (2009). Using video modeling to teach reciprocal pretend play to children with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 42, 43–55. doi:10.1901/jaba.2009.42-43.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • MacDuff, G. S., Krantz, P. J., & McClannahan, L. E. (2001). Prompts and prompt-fading strategies for people with autism. In C. Maurice, G. Green, & R. M. Foxx (Eds.), Making a difference: Behavioral intervention for autism (pp. 37–50). Austin, TX: PRO-ED.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marquez Charter School. (2012). Playground rules. Retrieved from http://marquezcharter.org/parent-resources/basic-recess-rules/playground-rules/.

  • Mastrangelo, S. (2009). Play and the child with autism spectrum disorder: From possibilities to practice. International Journal of Play Therapy, 18, 13–30. doi:10.1037/a0013810.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nuzzolo-Gomez, R., Leonard, M. A., Ortiz, E., Rivera, C. M., & Greer, R. (2002). Teaching children with autism to prefer books or toys over stereotypy or passivity. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 4, 80–87. doi:10.1177/109830070200400203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Obrusnikova, I., & Cavalier, A. R. (2011). Perceived barriers and facilitators of participation in after-school physical activity by children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 23, 195–211. doi:10.1007/s10882-010-9215-z.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paterson, C. R., & Arco, L. (2007). Using video modeling for generalizing toy play in children with autism. Behavior Modification, 31, 660–681. doi:10.1177/0145445507301651.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pellegrini, A. D., Blatchford, P., Kato, K., & Baines, E. (2004). A short-term longitudinal study of children’s playground games in primary school: Implications for adjustment to school and social adjustment in the USA and UK. Social Development, 31, 107–123. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9507.2004.00259.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, S. J. (2000). Interventions that facilitate socialization. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 30, 399–409. doi:10.1023/A:1005543321840.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schleien, S. J., Heyne, L. A., & Berken, S. B. (1988). Integrated physical education to teach appropriate play skills to learners with autism: A pilot study. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 5, 182–192.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schleien, S. J., Rynders, J. E., Mustonen, T., & Fox, A. (1990). Effects of social play activities on the play behavior of children with autism. Journal of Leisure Research, 22, 317–328.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simpson, R., & Otten, K. (2005). Structuring behavior management strategies and building social competence. In D. Zager (Ed.), ASD: Identification, education, and treatment (pp. 367–394). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sparrow, S., Cicchetti, D., & Balla, D. (2005). Vineland-II: Vineland adaptive behavior scales: Survey forms manual (2nd ed.). Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Services.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stahmer, A. C. (1995). Teaching symbolic play skills to children with autism using pivotal response training. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 25, 123–141. doi:10.1007/BF02178500.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stone, W. L., & Lemanek, K. L. (1990). Parental report of social behaviors in autistic preschoolers. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 20, 513–522. doi:10.1007/BF02216056.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stone, W. L., Lemanek, K. L., Fishel, P. T., Fernandez, M. C., & Altemeier, W. A. (1990). Play and imitation skills in the diagnosis of autism in young children. Pediatrics, 86, 267–272.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thorp, D. M., Stahmer, A. C., & Schreibman, L. (1995). Effects of sociodramatic play training on children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 25, 265–282. doi:10.1007/BF02179288.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, E., Reddy, Vasudevi, & Costall, A. (2001). Taking a closer look at functional play in children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 31, 67–77. doi:10.1023/A:1005665714197.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Claremont Graduate University, 850 Columbia Ave, Claremont, CA, 91711, USA

    Catherine A. Miltenberger

  2. Claremont McKenna College, 850 Columbia Ave, Claremont, CA, 91711, USA

    Marjorie H. Charlop

Authors
  1. Catherine A. Miltenberger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Marjorie H. Charlop
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marjorie H. Charlop.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Miltenberger, C.A., Charlop, M.H. Increasing the Athletic Group Play of Children with Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 44, 41–54 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-013-1850-7

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-013-1850-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation