title: An examination of interactions among children with autism and their typically developing peers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether pre-school children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) interact differently with their peers with ASD compared to their typically developing (TD) peers, across three activities (free play, structured group time and semi-structured play) in an early intervention setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  We completed a series of non-experimental case studies involving 13 children with ASD and two TD peers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found trends, but no uniform differences, in the frequency or quality of means by which the children with ASD interacted with one another versus with their TD peers across the three contexts. The children with ASD interacted with both peer types more frequently during the semi-structured and structured activities, than during free play.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The children with ASD showed no clear bias towards one peer type over the other. Semi-structured activities may be the best context in which to facilitate peer interactions involving children with ASD in early intervention settings.
authors.affiliation: Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University , Australia.
authors.forename: Katrine Sophie
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Gunn
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Trembath
authors.forename: Kristelle
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hudry
mesh_terms: D002652:Child Behavior; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003142:Communication; D018479:Early Intervention, Educational; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D010988:Play and Playthings; D012574:Schools
keywords: Autism; communication; peer interaction; play; social interaction