As practitioners dedicated to the well-being and development of autistic children, we are constantly seeking effective interventions to enhance their social, cognitive, and communicative skills. A recent study titled Developing Pretend Play in Autistic Children Using the Playboxes Joint Play Approach as Part of Ongoing Practice offers promising insights into supporting pretend play in autistic children.
Pretend play, which involves imagining and acting out various scenarios, is crucial for cognitive and social development. However, autistic children often show reduced involvement in symbolic play, affecting their social communication and friendships. The Playboxes joint play approach, examined in this study, aims to address these challenges by embedding playful interactions into professional practice.
Key Findings
- Improved Pretend Play Abilities: The study involved seven autistic children aged 5–8 years who participated in weekly Playboxes sessions over three months. All children showed increased age-equivalent scores on the Test of Pretend Play (ToPP), with gains ranging from +8 to +30 months.
- Individualized Approach: The Playboxes method involves an adult play partner and a child using matched boxes of toys to facilitate joint engagement and imaginative play. This individualized approach supports the unique needs of each child, promoting shared imaginative representation and joint attention.
- Generalization of Skills: The improvements in pretend play were observed not only within the Playboxes sessions but also in separate, less conducive contexts, indicating that the skills were generalized and not merely context-specific.
Implementing the Playboxes Approach
Practitioners can incorporate the Playboxes method into their ongoing practice with minimal resources. Here are some practical steps to get started:
- Training: Ensure that practitioners receive training in the Playboxes approach to effectively facilitate joint play sessions.
- Setting Up: Use matched toy boxes decorated according to the child's interests. Include both identical and complementary toys to encourage various types of play.
- Session Structure: Conduct weekly sessions lasting 30-40 minutes in a consistent, distraction-free environment. Use visual cues to aid transitions between activities.
- Interactive Play: Engage in different types of play, including expressive-attentive, goal-directed, and imaginative play. Encourage turn-taking, imitation, and the generation of new pretend ideas.
Encouraging Further Research
While the Playboxes approach shows significant promise, further research is needed to explore its long-term impact and applicability across diverse settings. Practitioners are encouraged to document their observations and share findings to contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting play-based interventions for autistic children.
To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Developing Pretend Play in Autistic Children Using the Playboxes Joint Play Approach as Part of Ongoing Practice.
