Symbolic Play

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Symbolic Play

Basic Characteristics

  • Description

Symbolic Play (or Imaginary play) is characterized the action of pretending something is there when it is not, or giving an object or person abilities that it does not have. Symbolic play is often one of the three following types of action: substitution (using one object in place of another), imaginary play (giving an object attributes that it does not have, or pretending that an object is there when it is not), or agent play (where the child pretends that a doll or other object performs the actions)1. Pretend play requires inhibition of reality, generation of new ideas, and the ability to shift attention from one interpretation of toys to another.8 There is evidence that a child's ability to do pretend play is closely linked to the child's level of receptive language and could predict later language.3,4

  • Symbolic Play and ASD

Children with autism tend to engage in less spontaneously symbolic play than typically developing children. The deficit in symbolic play is unique to children with autism as it seems that other children with other developmental disabilities still engage in Symbolic Play2


Tests to Assess Repetitive Behaviors

Criticisms

A number of studies challenge the idea that children with ASD display a deficit in symbolic play. Using many different paradigms, findings from these studies suggest that children with autism recognize, remember, select and produce symbolically transformed scenes and props when an adult is present to direct them.6,7 It is possible that children with ASD do understand the concept of symbolic play, and that the part they have trouble with is coming up with play ideas. This then is related to a deficit in executive functions.8



Interventions

Interventions which have targeted Symbolic Play have been successful in increasing Joint Attention and Play scores.5





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References

1. Christensen L et. al. Play and Developmental Outcomes in Infant Siblings of Children with Autism. J Autism Dev Disord. 2010 Jan 29. PMID 20112084


2. Mundy P et. al. Defining the social deficits of autism: the contribution of non-verbal communication measures.J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1986 Sep;27(5):657-69. PMID 3771682

3. FEIN, G.G. Pretend Play in Childhood: An Integrative Review. Child Development 52:1095–118. (1981)

4. Lewis V et. al. Relationships between symbolic play, functional play, verbal and non-verbal ability in young children.Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2000 Jan-Mar;35(1):117-27. PMID 10824228

5. Kasari C et al. Language outcome in autism: randomized comparison of joint attention and play interventions. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2008 Feb;76(1):125-37.PMID 18229990 Phenowiki Database

6.Lewis V et. al. Generativity in the play of young people with autism.J Autism Dev Disord. 1995 Apr;25(2):105-21. PMID 7559280

7. Morgan B et. al. Weak central coherence, poor joint attention, and low verbal ability: independent deficits in early autism.Dev Psychol. 2003 Jul;39(4):646-56. PMID 12859119

8. Rutherford M et. al. A longitudinal study of pretend play in autism.J Autism Dev Disord. 2007 Jul;37(6):1024-39. PMID 17146707

Related Information

  • Indicators (dependent variables, conditions, or contrasts; measurement variables used for analysis) associated with this construct (vote or nominate by editing this page):
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External Resources

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