The Benefits of Play Therapy for Children With Autism

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that creates dysfunctions in communication, social, and cognitive skills. Children diagnosed with ASD feature reduced affect and socialization, verbal and nonverbal communication deficits, and restrictive and repetitive behavioral patterns and interests. Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is the most widely used ASD treatment and leads to observable behavior modifications and positive overall social functioning. However, ABA lacks a dynamic approach to treat ASD patients personally and in a more generalizable way. Play therapy can bypass this shortcoming by stimulating children's development organically. The developmental, individual-difference, relationship-based (DIR)/Floortime approach uses play and behavioral principles to treat ASD more holistically than ABA alone. This approach develops a dynamic treatment protocol tailored to the individualities of each patient.