Interventions Targeting Interactive Play in Individuals with Autism: A Systematic Review

Individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may fail to acquire interactive play and leisure skills due to deficits associated with the diagnosis. Through interactive play, individuals gain more opportunities to develop proficiency in areas such as communication, social skills, and emotional development. In an effort to inform practice and research, this systematic literature review analyzes behavioral interventions used to teach interactive play and social leisure skills to individuals diagnosed with ASD. The predetermined inclusion criteria resulted in 23 studies to be analyzed. The findings of this review indicate that there are interventions that successfully increased interactive play and leisure skills with children, but there is a gap in the research regarding teaching these skills to adolescents and adults. Additional needs for future research are discussed.