A Naturalistic Behavioral Intervention to Increase Interaction between Siblings with and without Autism.
Adult-led, toy-based play at home quickly raises back-and-forth play between autistic children and their typical siblings.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Watkins et al. (2021) worked with pairs of siblings. One child had autism. The other was typically developing.
An adult set up short play sessions at home. The adult picked toys both kids already liked. The adult showed how to share, take turns, and talk during play.
The team used an ABAB design. They measured how often the siblings played together before, during, and after the adult help.
What they found
Social interaction rose for both children. The child with autism started more play. The brother or sister joined in more too.
One pair kept the new skills even when the adult stepped back. Parents said the play felt fun and useful.
How this fits with other research
Chen et al. (2001) got the same boost twenty years earlier. They used trained peers instead of siblings. Both studies show kids with autism talk and play more when the setting is natural and fun.
Bontinck et al. (2018) saw the opposite. They watched toddler pairs and found less imitation when the older sibling had autism. The key difference is age and help. Laci gave adult modeling. Chloè only watched what happened without it.
Pane et al. (2025) scoping review backs the choice of familiar toys and home setting. Their map says these features make play teaching stick.
Why it matters
You can copy this plan in one afternoon. Pick toys both kids already love. Model a quick share or trade. Step back and let the pair play. Track who starts and who answers. One family saw gains in weeks. No extra staff, no clinic room needed. Try it during after-school downtime or weekend free play.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Research suggests that including typically developing siblings in interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be beneficial. However, studies have predominantly involved only participants with mild symptoms of ASD and have not also reported outcomes for the typically developing sibling. The purpose of this study was to address these gaps by replicating and extending an intervention package consisting of structured, interest-based play activities, adult instruction and modeling, and response to child questions. A reversal design across two sibling dyads was used to demonstrate the effects of the intervention on the social interaction behaviors of the child with ASD and typically developing sibling. Social interaction increased for both sibling dyads, results generalized for one dyad, and multiple measures indicated a high level of social validity. Recommendations for practitioners and caregivers working with children with ASD and potential areas of future research are discussed.
Behavior modification, 2021 · doi:10.1177/0145445520920813