Peer mediation in play settings for minimally verbal students with autism Spectrum disorder
Training typical preschool peers to steer short play groups lifts functional play, shared play, and imitation in minimally verbal classmates with ASD+ID.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Dai et al. (2023) trained typical preschool classmates to run play sessions for minimally verbal peers with autism and intellectual disability.
The kids with ASD joined small, mixed play groups three times a week.
Adults taught the typical peers how to invite, model, and wait—then stepped back.
What they found
Most preschoolers with ASD+ID used more functional play, joined others more, and copied peer actions.
Gains showed up at different speeds—some kids zoomed, some crept.
How this fits with other research
Simpson et al. (2001) first showed these kids barely touched peers or stayed long at any toy. G et al. now proves peer helpers can flip that picture.
Watkins et al. (2019) got the same social boost using adult-led interest play. G et al. hands the keys to classmates instead—freeing up staff.
Sasson et al. (2022) later used peer buddies plus video clips at recess with older students. Their big gains suggest the preschool peer model can travel up the grades.
Why it matters
You can build social minutes without adding adult shadows. Pick two chatty classmates, give them a quick script—invite, model, praise—and let the play roll. Start with one five-minute center and grow it. More peers win friends, and your learners with ASD+ID get natural chances to talk, move, and stay.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
<h4>Background and aims</h4>Peer-mediated interventions (PMIs) are effective strategies to foster socialization of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in natural settings. However, research examining the efficacy of peer mediation for students with ASD who have the greatest cognitive and language impairments remains limited. Additionally, previous studies essentially targeted communicative abilities of participants. To address this gap, the present study evaluated the effects of a play-based PMI on three socio-communicative skills (play, social engagement and imitation) of minimally verbal students with ASD who also have a comorbidity of intellectual disability (ID).<h4>Methods</h4>Seven children with ASD attending ordinary school settings and 14 typically developing (TD) preschoolers participated. Seven single-sex groups were formed, and children played together during two 30 min weekly sessions. TD children were trained according to the principles of the integrated play group model. We used a multiple-baseline design across participants to measure the effects of the intervention on play skills, social engagement and motor imitation of students with ASD.<h4>Results</h4>Outcomes revealed an intervention effect for most of the participants, despite some variations across children. After the peer training, four children increased their duration of functional/symbolic play, six children improved their duration of interactive play and five children increased their rates of motor imitation. Concerning maintenance gains, inter-individual differences are also important.<h4>Conclusions and implications</h4>These findings suggest that a play-based PMI may be a feasible option for targeting inclusive education and improving socio-communicative skills of some minimally verbal students with ASD who also have an ID. However, variations across children invite further research to clarify how individual factors can moderate the effects of PMIs in children with ASD who are the most impaired.
, 2023 · doi:10.1177/23969415231204837