I Would Like To Play Case Study

“I would like to play but I don’t know how; a single case study”

Genene S. Reynolds

Specialization in Child and Adolescent Development

Child Psychology

PSY7220

3231 Shannon Rd. Apt. 32-D

Durham, NC 27707

Telephone: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]

Instructor: Dr. Mark Cooper

In order to complete this assignment the learner was given the task of using a case study as it relates to early and middle childhood development. The article “I would like to play but I don’t know how: a case study of pretend play in autism”, by Lucille Hess was chosen. Pretend play of children diagnosed with autism lacks the ability to substitute objects for real props (for instance being able to use a block as a
telephone). There is also a lack of separation of play from the real event and being able to share the development of that action with another person. Hess hypothesizes that in order to understand the lack of pretend development is focused on the child’s inability of awareness of the need for reciprocity, to be aware of other’s interpretation of that particular action, and more importantly the inability to use one’s imagination. Piaget’s preoperational stage spans from ages 2 to 7 years old. Children who are diagnosed as autistic lack the cognitive ability to participate in make believe play. Berk (2008) notates those children who successfully maneuver through the preoperational stage become able to detach play from real life conditions. Play becomes less centered; children are able to detach themselves from play, for example making a doll feed themselves, children realize that recipients of pretend actions can be independent of themselves. By the end of early childhood children have developed a sophisticated understanding of role relationships and story lines (Berk, 2008 p.323). Vygotsky believed that play was a method to develop symbolic representation and understanding, starting with scaffolding of combined efforts of adults (Hess, 2006).
Children diagnosed with autism do not know about other’s minds of the need to share another experience it is possible for them to ignore the reciprocity or coordination of a combined experience with an adult. Hence, the diagnosed child does not look to share experiences symbol use becomes compromised and cannot be applied to pretend activity (Hess, 2006). In comparison to children who are not autistic, play behavior of diagnosed children are categorized as shorter in length, using fewer play sequences as well as the seldom use of symbolic playing containing dolls or peers. Austic individuals who may be more verbal tend to avoid interactions with peers, or may contribute little to play development. Some individuals have the desire to participate in play, such as sports, however these individuals may do so in an awkward manner ( may otherwise be categorized as socially awkward). This awkwardness may cause children to become more isolated from peers, which may increase development of rigid play routines that may become resistant to change (Hess, 2006). The inability of participating in pretend play may also be a contributing factor to the child’s inability to infer and predict other’s intentions (Hess, 2006). Not being able to understand that others may have different views can be correlated with social impairments
tremendously. Young children social interactions are dependent upon play and verbal skills in order to completely engage.
The author, Hess postulates that for those individuals with autism who are placed in a “normal” classroom the ability to engage in somewhat meaningful exchanges with others contains a higher level of difficulty when the structure of the classroom has been removed. For these children having to decide how to participate in “free-time” play with other children who may not be like themselves can possess a higher level of difficulty. Hess also points out that some therapist, have used play setting as an agent to assist children with autism gain social skills.
Hess’ studies is descriptive of the procedure used in the evaluation of an autistic ten year old, male who has verbal skills in efforts to assist him in developing the skills needed in order to participate in pretend activities. The goal of the parents was that the child would learn to play with his siblings. The child began play with only an adult partner, in efforts to provide scaffolding in order to teach play activities (Hess, 2006). The adult involved could control the experience more than if individuals of the same age group had been included. The participant of the article is a ten year old male who was diagnosed at age 3 years and 10 months of age was the focus of the single subject study. At the time of the study the child had been enrolled in a “regular” classroom, however there were services of special education as well as a classroom tutor available. The child possessed verbal skills, the child could not adequately by standardized methods, because the child became stressed and actively refused to participate. In using this child’s interest in reading stories that contained everyday events were selected in efforts to lead to role enactment as well as role play activities.
The ability to act out everyday experiences is the first type of pretend that most children participate in. In each therapy session the child would listen to a story including everyday events, each book contained a blank page that allowed the adult to write the child’s version of the story when asked to retell the story. While the adult was telling the story they would be descriptive of the feelings of the people involved in the story as their feelings related to the picture, the adult would encourage the child to give their opinion of what may happen next or how the character in the story felt in the picture. After the store was complete the child and the adult participant would engage in acting out the story’s events as well as the interactions between characters (Hess, 2006). The example that is given is after reading a story about a snowman, the role play was to encourage the child to act out, if they were going to ask a peer to help make the snowman. The child participated in therapy for six weeks twice a week for a total of twelve stories. Each story and recall of the story took 10 minutes, and the role play activity accounted for another 10 minutes. Before each story the child was encouraged to practice concepts for five minutes, in efforts to increase the child’s working vocabulary (Hess,
2006). Hess, notates that there can be relatively small improvements seen in the study that are suggestive that guided pretend activities may offer some assistance where autistic children who possess verbal skills can learn about social interactions and the needs and intentions of others. At the completion of the study there had been an improvement in social routines indicative of play scenes from about 16% from the first sessions to about 36% in the concluding session (Hess, 2006). Greetings became routine, such as “how are you” became familiar, and a normal part of pretend play. The child also began to engage his partner (the adult) in the story. There was also routine developed to say good bye at the end without being prompted by adults (Hess, 2006). Hess suggests that the first step is for the adult is to establish a joint activity using play with the child. The child was able to develop social schemes appropriate for play. Towards the end of the study it was notated that the child changed his voice for characters after he placed a puppet on his hand, as acted out pretend behaviors that were appropriate for the story. Hess concluded that there should be more research dedicated to determine how adult facilitated pretend activities may be able to improve the ability of those with autism to consider another’s perspective. The learner feels that the research conducted by Hess in this study provides foundations for other research to be dedicated to involving children with development disabilities such as autism to increase the interactions between them and peers who may not be affected by a disability. This study, also can be used as a foundation for teachers who may have children in their class who may be socially awkward not just those individuals who are diagnosed as autistic.

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