A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Interventions to Improve Play Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Kent, C., Cordier, R., et al. (2020).
Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 7(1), 91-118.
This meta-analysis investigates the efficacy and characteristics of play-based interventions in children on the autism spectrum.
Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship
Not further specified
Randomized controlled trials
19 in the systematic review; 11 in the meta-analysis
<div>Only 11 out of 19 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Results from between-group studies demonstrated that play-based interventions had a small, but significant, overall effect size (g) on improving outcomes in children on the autism spectrum (g = 0.335; 95% CI = 0.08 to 0.586). These findings suggest that play-based interventions can potentially improve outcomes in children on the autism spectrum; however, the authors were unable to determine which intervention approaches were essential in improving play skills. The most common approaches within the included studies were as follows:</div>
<ul>
<li>support and training of parents, peers, or teachers;</li>
<li>coaching the child on the autism spectrum; or</li>
<li>development of individualized play skills.</li>
</ul>
"The meta-analysis in this review showed that it is not one intervention characteristic, but the combination of different intervention components that lead to the development of improved play skills" (p. 112). Findings revealed that individual play-based interventions interventions had a small but significant effect (g= 0.44; 95% Ci = 0.138 to 0.749) and group interventions had a negligible effect. Child-focused interventions had a large, significant effect (g = 0.9;95% CI = 0.3 to 1.5). Child and parent-focused interventions yielded a small, significant effect (g=0.29; 95% CI = 0.05 to 0.52) and limited data on child and peer or teacher-focused interventions indicated no significant effect. No difference in intervention effects were reported across settings (e.g., clinic, home, school).
