We don't play that way, we play this way: Functional Play Behaviours of Children with Autism and Severe Learning Difficulties.
Switch to the four-main/seven-sub functional play codes to see and program for the smallest play gains in kids with autism and severe learning difficulties.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Handen (2020) watched children with autism and severe learning difficulties during free play. The team built a new coding system that splits functional play into four main types and seven sub-types. They used the tool to describe exactly how these kids play with toys in a special-ed classroom.
What they found
The new lens revealed tiny, hidden steps in play that older checklists missed. Kids showed more variety and skill than earlier studies claimed. The tool lets you spot micro-progress that typical tests label as 'no change'.
How this fits with other research
Meuret et al. (2001) first flagged 'poor quality' functional play in autism. Their list was broad; Handen (2020) zooms in and shows the play is richer than we thought. The two papers do not clash—L simply uses finer magnifying glass on the same kids.
Chang et al. (2018) proved minimally verbal school-age children can still gain symbolic play when you teach it. L gives you the ruler to measure those small gains during and after intervention.
O'Connor et al. (2011) ran a six-month play program and saw social and play improvements. Their team counted broad deficits; L’s codes could have caught the earliest, smallest steps of progress.
Why it matters
If you write tiny objectives for kids with autism and severe ID, this taxonomy is gold. You can mark when a child moves from ‘simple functional’ to ‘advanced functional’ and celebrate the win. Use the four-main/seven-sub list in baseline, probe, and review meetings. It stops you from saying 'no change' when real growth is hiding in the details.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Research on play for children with autism and severe learning difficulties (SLD) has been limited; instead, much of the research focuses on higher levels of play, such as symbolic play. Those studies that present details regarding functional play are focused on examining the extent of the play deficit and limited in depth with respect to the precision of the categories presented. Therefore, the current understanding, the tools available to support, plan and measure play are not sufficiently detailed or focused on children with autism and SLD. AIMS: The aim of the research was to analyse the functional play actions and establish precise functional play categories though direct observations of children aged 3-11 diagnosed with a combination of autism and SLD. METHODS: Free-play observations of children diagnosed with autism and SLD (N-27) were conducted in a natural play situation across three special schools in England. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: The results reveal four key areas of functional play: interacting with one object; interacting with two (or more) objects; interacting with self; and interacting with the environment. In addition, seven subcategories were established as additional components related to functional play. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The results suggest that functional play for children with autism and SLD is far more complex than currently recognised. Through the depth and detail established, the categories provide greater understanding of the play characteristics and the most detailed account of the functional play characteristics for this group of children. The analysis provides sensitive measurement scales to support accuracy and precision when planning, supporting and measuring small increments of progress in play.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2020 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2020.103688