The Effectiveness of Play Therapy on Social Skills and Challenging Behaviors of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63053/ijhes.167Keywords:
Play therapy; Social skills; Challenging behaviors; Autism spectrum disorderAbstract
Background and Objective: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by serious difficulties in social skills and the occurrence of challenging behaviors. Considering the key role of non-pharmacological interventions in improving the functioning of these children, the present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of play therapy on enhancing social skills and reducing challenging behaviors in children with ASD.
Methods: This semi-experimental study employed a pretest–posttest design with a control group. The statistical population included children aged 7–12 years with ASD who attended the “Omid Rahayesh” Autism Specialized Center in Bojnourd in 2025. Thirty children were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to experimental (n = 15) and control (n = 15) groups. The experimental group participated in ten sessions of group play therapy. Data were collected using the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) by Gresham and Elliott and the Turgay Disruptive Behavior Disorders Rating Scale (Turgay DBDRS). Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA).
Results: The findings indicated that play therapy had a significant effect on improving social skills and reducing challenging behaviors in the experimental group compared to the control group (p < 0.001). The calculated effect size demonstrated a large intervention effect on both dependent variables.
Conclusion: Play therapy can be considered an effective and applicable intervention for improving communication skills and reducing behavioral problems in children with ASD in rehabilitation centers. It is recommended to use this approach alongside other specialized interventions.
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