Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Recess is Time-in: Using Peers to Improve Social Skills of Children with Autism

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Children with autism face enormous struggles when attempting to interact with their typically developing peers. More children are educated in integrated settings; however, play skills usually need to be explicitly taught, and play environments must be carefully prepared to support effective social interactions. This study incorporated the motivational techniques of Pivotal Response Training through peer-mediated practice to improve social interactions for children with autism during recess activities. A multiple baseline design across subjects was used to assess social skills gains in two elementary school children. The results demonstrated an increase in important social skills, namely social initiations and turn taking, during recess.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Attwood, T. (1998). Asperger’s Syndrome: A guide for parents and professionals. Great Britain: Athenaeum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baker, M. J., Koegel, R. L., & Koegel, L. K., (1998). Increasing the social behavior of young children with autism using their obsessive behaviors. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 23(4), 300–308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, J., & Murray, D. (2001). Strategies for enhancing play skills for children with autism spectrum disorder. Education and Training in Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, 36(3), 312–317.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, W., & Odom, S. L. (1995). Naturalistic peer interventions for promoting preschool children’s social interactions. Preventing School Failure, 39(4), 38–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, W. H., Odom, S. L., & Conroy, M. A. (2001). An intervention hierarchy for promoting young children's peer interactions in natural environments. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 21(3), 162–175.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carr, E. G., Dunlap, G., Horner, R. H., Koegel, R. L., Turnbull, A. P., Sailor, W., Anderson, J. L., Albin, R. W., Koegel, L. K., & Fox, L. (2002). Positive behavior support: Evolution of an applied science. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 4(1), 4–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DiSalvo, C., & Oswald, D. (2002). Peer-mediated interventions to increase social interaction of children with autism: Consideration of peer expectancies. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 17(4), 198–207.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frea, W., Craig-Unkefer, L., Odom, S. L., & Johnson, D. (1999). Differential effects of structured social integration and group friendship activities for promoting social interactions with peers. Journal of Early Intervention, 22(3), 230–242.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fredeen, R. M., & Koegel, R. L. (2006). The pivotal role of initiations in habilitation. In R. L. Koegel & L. K. Koegel (Eds.), Pivotal response treatments for autism: Communication, social, and academic development (pp. 165–186). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garfinkle, A., & Schwartz, I. (2002). Peer imitation: Increasing social interactions in children with autism and other developmental disabilities in inclusive preschool classrooms. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 22(1), 26–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giangreco, M. F., Edelman, S. W., Luiselli, T. E., & MacFarland, S. Z. C. (1997). Heping or Hovering? Effects of instructional assistant proximity on students with disabilities. Exceptional Children, 64(1), 7–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein, H., Kaczmarek, L., Pennington, R., & Shafer, K. (1992). Peer-mediated intervention: Attending to, commenting on, and acknowledging the behavior of preschoolers with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25(2), 289–305.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez-Lopez, A., & Kamps, D. (1997). Social skills training to increase social interactions between children with autism and their typical peers. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 12(1), 2–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gresham, F. M., (1984). Social skills and self-efficacy for exceptional children. Exceptional Children, 51, 253–261.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Guralnick, M. J. (1990). Social competence and early intervention. Journal of Early Intervention, 14(1), 3–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hurley-Geffner, C. M., (1995). Friendships between children with and without developmental disabilities. In R. L. Koegel & L. K. Koegel (Eds.), Teaching children with autism: Strategies for initiating positive interactions and improving learning opportunities (pp. 105–125). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ingersoll, B., Schreibman, L., & Stahmer, A. (2001). Brief report: Differential treatment outcomes for children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder based on level of peer social avoidance. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 31(3), 343–349.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kamps, D., Royer, J., Dugan, E., Kravits, T., Gonzalez-Lopez, A., Garcia, J., Carnazzo, K., Morrison, L., & Kane, L. G. (2002). Peer training to facilitate social interactions for elementary students with autism and their peers. Exceptional Children, 68(2), 173–187.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kennedy, C. H., Cushing, L., & Itkonen, T. (1997). General education participation improves social contacts and friendship networks of students with severe disabilities. Journal of Behavior Education, 7(2), 167–189.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kennedy, C. H., & Itkonen, T. (1996). Social relationships, influential variables, and change across the life span. In L. K. Koegel, R. L. Koegel, & G. Dunlap (Eds.), Positive behavioral support: Including people with difficult behavior in the community (pp. 287–304). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koegel, R. L., Klein, E. F., Koegel, L. K., Boettcher, M. A., Brookman-Frazee, L., & Openden, D. (2006). Working with paraprofessionals to improve socialization in inclusive settings. In R. L. Koegel & L. K. Koegel (Eds.) Pivotal response treatments for autism: Communication, social, and academic development (pp. 189–198). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

  • Koegel, L. K., Koegel, R. L., Frea, W. D., & Fredeen, R. M. (2001). Identifying early intervention targets for children with autism in inclusive school settings. Behavior Modification, 25, 745–761.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koegel, L. K., Koegel, R. L., Shoshan, Y., & Mcnerney, E. M. (1999). Pivotal response intervention II: Preliminary long-term outcomes data. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 24(3), 186–198.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koegel, R. L., Openden, D., Fredeen, R. M., & Koegel, L. K. (2006). The basics of pivotal reponse treatment. In R. L. Koegel & L. K. Koegel (Eds.), Pivotal response treatments for autism: Communication, social, and academic development (pp. 3–30). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koegel, R. L., Schreibman, L., Good, A., Cerniglia, L., Murphy, C., & Koegel, L. K. (1989). How to teach pivotal behaviors to children with autism: A training manual. Santa Barbara: University of California.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kohler, F. W., Strain, P. S., & Goldstein, H. (2005). Learning Experiences . . . An alternative program for preschools and parents: Peer-mediated interventions for young children with autism. In E. D. Hibbs & P. S. Jensen (Eds.), Psychosocial treatments for child and adolescent disorders: Empirically based strategies for clinical practice (2nd ed., pp. 659–687). Washington DC: American Psychological Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laushey, K., & Heflin, J. (2000). Enhancing social skills of kindergarten children with autism through the training of multiple peers as tutors. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 30(3), 183–193.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, V., & Boucher, J. (1995). Generativity in the play of young people with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 25(2), 105–121.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Libby, S., Powell, S., Messer, D., & Jordan, R. (1998). Spontaneous play in children with autism: A reappraisal. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 28(6), 487–497.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McEvoy, M. A., Odom, S. L., & McConnell, S. R. (1992). Peer social competence intervention for young children with disabilities. In S. L. Odom, S. R. McConnell, & M. A. McEvoy (Eds.), Social competence of young children with disabilities: Issues and strategies for intervention (pp. 113–134). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oke, N. J., & Schreibman, L. (1990). Training social initiations to a high-functioning autistic child: Assessment of collateral behavior change and generalization in a case study. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 20(4), 479–497.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Peeters, T. (1997). Autism: From theoretical understanding to educational intervention. San Diego: Singular Publishing Group.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pierce, K., & Schreibman, L. (1995). Increasing complex social behaviors in children with autism: Effects of peer-implemented pivotal response training. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 28(3), 285–295.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pierce, K., & Schreibman, L. (1997a). Using peer trainers to promote social behavior in autism: Are they effective at enhancing multiple social modalities? Focus on Autism & Other Developmental Disabilities, 12(4), 207–218.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pierce, K., & Schreibman, L. (1997b). Multiple peer use of pivotal response training to increase social behaviors of classmates with autism: Results from trained and untrained peers. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 30(1), 157–160.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, S. (2000). Interventions that facilitate socialization in children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 30(5), 399–409.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, S. J., & Lewis, H. (1989). An effective day treatment model for children with pervasive developmental disorders. Journal of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 28(2), 207–214.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stahmer, A. (1995). Teaching symbolic play skills to children with autism using pivotal response training. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 25(2), 123–141.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stone, W., Lemanek, K., Fishel, P., Fernandez, M., & Altemeier, W. (1990). Play imitation skills in the diagnosis of autism in young children. Pediatrics, 86(2), 267–272.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Strain, P. S., & Fox, J. J. (1981). Peers as behavior change agents for withdrawn classmates. In B. B. Lahey & A. E. Kazdin (Eds.), Advances in clinical child psychology (pp. 167–198). New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strain, P. S., Kerr, M. M., & Ragland, E. U. (1981). The use of peer social initiations in the treatment of social withdrawal. In P. S. Strain (Ed.), The utilization of classroom peers as behavior change agents (pp. 101–128). New York: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strain, P. S., & Kohler, F. (1998). Peer-mediated social intervention for young children with autism. Seminars in Speech and Language, 19(4), 391–405.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Terpstra, J., Higgins, K., & Pierce, T. (2002). Can I play? Classroom-based interventions for teaching play skills to children with autism. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 17(2), 119–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Veale, T. (1998). May I have your attention please? Language and learning lessons from one child with autism. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. University of Cincinnati.

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the school, teachers, children and their families for their participation in this study. We are grateful for your dedication to improve the lives of all children at school. This article is based on a thesis completed by the first author for the degree of Master of Arts in Special Education with an emphasis in Autism at California State University, Los Angeles.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Garden Grove Unified School District in Orange County, California State University, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Christena Blauvelt Harper

  2. CSULA Division of Special Education and Counseling, California State University, 5151 State University Drive, Los Angeles, CA, 90032, USA

    Jennifer B. G. Symon

  3. Autism Spectrum Therapies, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    William D. Frea

Authors
  1. Christena Blauvelt Harper
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jennifer B. G. Symon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. William D. Frea
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jennifer B. G. Symon.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Harper, C.B., Symon, J.B.G. & Frea, W.D. Recess is Time-in: Using Peers to Improve Social Skills of Children with Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 38, 815–826 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-007-0449-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-007-0449-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation