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Teaching play skills to school-age children with autism spectrum disorder and generalisation to natural learning environment
Author
Teng, Joel Ming Ming
Supervisor
Dutt, Anuradha
Abstract
Object play for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can be different and difficult to achieve due to the central features of the disorder. This implicates their participation in informal recreational activities during free or leisure times. The current study thus seeks to examine the effectiveness of a toy play intervention in teaching functional object play on socially conventional toys, as well as the relationship between preferences, play skills and toy engagement. The study used a concurrent multiple baseline across participants design. Participants were three school-age children with moderate to severe ASD. The study consisted of three phases: baseline, toy play intervention and generalisation; and preference assessments procedures were used for participants to indicate their liking towards the toys. Results of the study indicated that (a) the toy play intervention which consisted of modelling, prompting and contingent reinforcement strategies was effective in teaching all participants novel toy play behaviours; (b) learning of play skills seems to enhance independent toy engagement; and (c) toy engagement during free play is dependent on individual preferences, toy play skills to engage with the toys, or a combination of both.
Date Issued
2019
Call Number
LC4717 Ten
Date Submitted
2019