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I Wanna Play Too: Factors Related to Changes in Social Behavior for Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder After Implementation of a Structured Outdoor Play Curriculum

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Abstract

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties interacting with same-aged peers during unstructured play (e.g., on the playground). Thirty-five toddler and preschool children with and without ASD participated in a structured 15-min outdoor play curriculum. The intervention, the Buddy Game, used familiar songs, movement, and games to promote peer social interaction. A 2 × 3 ANOVA assessed changes in overall targeted social behaviors during baseline, the Buddy Game, and generalization to free-pay. Multiple regression analyses examined factors related to increases in social interactions. Predictors were ASD status of child and age of child. Results indicated the Buddy Game increased overall social interactions and that social interactions were influenced more by ASD status than age. Implications for practitioners are highlighted.

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Acknowledgements

The findings and conclusions in this study are those of the authors and do not necessarily present the official position of Emory University School of Medicine. We would like to thank all of the families and staff from the Early Emory Center for Child Development and Enrichment who participated in this study. This study would not have been able to be completed without your participation. A special thank you to Devika Persaud and Brittni Williams for painstakingly collecting data with us.

Author Contribution

MJM conceived of original study, participated in study design and coordination, participated in data collection, performed statistical analyses, drafted manuscript; SMTZ conceived of current study and design, conducted the literature review, developed data collection system and social validity questionnaires, participated in data collection, and coordinated with classrooms for study implementation. Both authors read, edited, and approved final manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Emory Autism Center, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, 1551 Shoup Court, Decatur, GA, 30033, USA

    Michael J. Morrier & Sonja M. T. Ziegler

  2. Department of Educational Psychology, Special Education, and Communication Disorders, College of Education and Human Development, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Sonja M. T. Ziegler

Authors
  1. Michael J. Morrier
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  2. Sonja M. T. Ziegler
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Correspondence to Michael J. Morrier.

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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 individual adult participants as well as a parent/legal guardian of all child participants included in the study.

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Morrier, M.J., Ziegler, S.M.T. I Wanna Play Too: Factors Related to Changes in Social Behavior for Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder After Implementation of a Structured Outdoor Play Curriculum. J Autism Dev Disord 48, 2530–2541 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-018-3523-z

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