Benchmarks of social treatment for children with autism.
Use typical preschool social rates as clear IEP targets, then add brief peer games to help kids with autism reach them.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Smith et al. (1997) watched the preschoolers for two mornings. Half had autism, half were typical. They counted how often each child talked to peers, shared toys, and joined play.
The kids were 3-5 years old and attended the same daycare. Observers used stopwatches and clipboards. No teaching happened; they just recorded what kids did.
What they found
Typical children started conversations three times more often. They shared toys twice as much. Kids with autism rarely spoke first and usually played alone.
Age did not matter inside the autism group. Four-year-olds with autism looked like three-year-olds with autism. The gap stayed the same.
How this fits with other research
Simpson et al. (2001) saw the same gap in Head Start rooms. Their autistic students also played shorter and talked less. This repeats the 1997 numbers in a new place.
Sasson et al. (2018) flipped the script. After a 15-minute “Buddy Game,” kids with autism passed typical peers in peer bids. The gap can close when you teach the right game.
Lindsay (2002) review says many social tactics work, but quality varies. Use the 1997 rates as your goal line, then pick tactics the review flags as strong.
Why it matters
Write IEP goals using the typical rates from 1997. Aim for three peer entries per hour, two shares per hour. Check progress every month. If the child stalls, add a brief structured game like the Buddy Game to push past the benchmark.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Count one social behavior during free play, compare it to the 1997 typical rate, and add a 15-minute Buddy Game if the child is below that line.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
Data on the social behavior of typical children may inform practitioners and researchers regarding the appropriate goals of intervention for children with autism. This study assessed the ongoing levels of naturally occurring social behavior in 64 preschool-aged children. A 2 x 2 factorial design was used to analyze population (children with autism and typical children) and age (3 years 3 months vs. 4 years 4 months) differences at the time of preschool entry. Predictable population differences were found for key social behaviors of proximity to children, social bids from children, and focus of engagement on children, as well as for behavioral context variables of verbalizations, adult focus, and atypical behaviors. No differences were found in the amount of time spent focused on toys or objects. There were also no differences in the presenting behaviors of younger and older children with autism. Results are discussed in terms of implications for establishing early social intervention goals.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 1997 · doi:10.1023/a:1025849220209