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Using Peer-Mediated LEGO® Play Intervention to Improve Social Interactions for Chinese Children with Autism in an Inclusive Setting

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a peer-mediated LEGO® play intervention on improving social skills for children with ASD in an inclusive preschool in China. Three boys with ASD and 13 typically developing children participated in this study. A multiple-probe across participants design was used. The intervention consisted of LEGO® construction activities incorporated with peer-mediated strategies for one child with ASD and two typically developing peers. The intervention sessions were conducted two sessions per week with a total of 28–31 sessions for each participant. Results indicated that all three children with ASD increased their social initiations and responses following the completion of the intervention. Social validity was also obtained.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by 2016 Comprehensive Discipline Construction Fund, Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Special Education, Education Research Center for Children with ASD, Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University, Rm 408, YingDong Building, Xin Jie Kou Wai Da Jie #19, Beijing, China

    Xiaoyi Hu

  2. Anita Zucker Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Studies, School of Special Education, School Psychology, and Early Childhood Studies, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

    Qunshan Zheng

  3. Applied Psychology, Faculty of Education, Western University, 1137 Western Road, London, ON, N6G 1G7, Canada

    Gabrielle T. Lee

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  1. Xiaoyi Hu
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  2. Qunshan Zheng
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  3. Gabrielle T. Lee
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Contributions

XH conceived of the study, participated in the design and coordination and drafted part of the manuscript. QZ conceived of the study, participated in the design and coordination and analyzed the data. GTL analyzed and interpreted the data, drafted part of the manuscript, and revised the entire manuscript critically. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gabrielle T. Lee.

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All authors involved in this study do not have any interests that might be interpreted as influencing the research.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all participants (teachers, children and their parents) included in the study.  

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Hu, X., Zheng, Q. & Lee, G.T. Using Peer-Mediated LEGO® Play Intervention to Improve Social Interactions for Chinese Children with Autism in an Inclusive Setting. J Autism Dev Disord 48, 2444–2457 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-018-3502-4

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