Cooperative play in autistic teens

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that affects the brain, resulting in social and communication deficits. Play therapy is one way in which we can assist autistic persons in developing and growing social and communication skills. The study consisted of a control group with three neurotypically developed teenagers and three test groups comprised of three autistic teenagers. Each group participated in three problem-solving rooms where the group had to work together to complete the room and played four different cooperative video games together throughout seven sessions, scheduled across a three-and-a-half-week period. A behavioural and social network analysis was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the cooperative play intervention. It was found that there was no notable difference between the neurotypically developed teenager (control) group and the autistic teenager group, with no improvements in pro-social behaviour.