title: Social skills assessment of children with autism in free-play situations.
abstract: Poor social functioning and limited play are characteristic of children with autism. Increasingly, education for children with autism is provided within mainstream settings, but given their particular difficulties, the adequate provision of educational services in such settings is challenging. This study presents observational data of the play behaviour and social interaction patterns of 10 children with autism in mainstream kindergartens and primary school playgrounds. The target children differed significantly in terms of their play and social interactions from typically developing children in the same settings. The adequacy of the provision of services for children with autism in mainstream provision is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Interventions in Teaching and Learning, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019 Auckland, New Zealand. an.anderson@auckland.ac.nz
authors.forename: Angelika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Dennis W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Godfrey
authors.forename: Claire M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Fletcher-Flinn
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D010988:Play and Playthings; D012919:Social Behavior