Mothers scaffolding play in children with autism spectrum disorders

Play allows children to appropriately engage with peers and others in their environment by using developmental and social skills. Many researchers have demonstrated that parents of children with typical development scaffold the development of children's play beginning at 12 months through the preschool years (Woolley & Tullos, 2008). However, some children have impairments in developing and using social skills, such as children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The current study was a single-subject design (n = 3; Mage = 26.5 months) that evaluated a social-communication intervention (i.e., Project ImPACT: Improving Parents As Communication Teachers) for toddlers with ASD. Mothers' scaffolding techniques (i.e., comments, requests, and prompts) were explored during mother-child play samples, in addition to children's social engagement in mothers' scaffolding techniques. Overall, results from Simulation Modeling Analysis (SMA) showed that mothers' scaffolding techniques and children's social engagement to these techniques increased. Additionally Reliable Change Index (RCI) revealed children's developmental/social/play skills improved from pre- to post- and pre- to post 2-intervention. Thus, early intervention, such as parent-mediated intervention, is an important component of children with ASD reaching their fullest potential. (Published By University of Alabama Libraries