Case Study Analyses of Play Behaviors of 12-Month-Old Infants Later Diagnosed with Autism

Case study research methodology was used to describe the play behaviors of three infants at 12 months of age, who were later diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. Data included standardized test scores, and analyses of video footage of semi-structured play sessions from infants identified as high risk for autism, because of having a sibling with the disorder. Literature describing the attributes of object and social play of young children with and without autism was also reviewed, and considered in the interpretation of results. The object and social play behaviors of the three infants with autism were found to be variable among each other, and different in some ways from the play of typically developing children. Most striking was a lack of creativity, or limitation in functional play with toys, with an apparent desire for sameness or repetition in the way play objects were used. In addition, object play was preferred over social forms of play. An increased understanding of the play behaviors of infants with autism has clinical implications for early identification of the disorder, and offers guidance for the development of effective play-based interventions.