The Effect of Play-Based Occupational Therapy on Playfulness and Social Play of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Since play is the main occupation of children, occupational therapists often use play as an approach to improve playfulness. However, for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there is some uncertainty as to whether playfulness and social play can be improved through play-based interventions. To determine the effect of play-based occupational therapy on playfulness and social play of children with ASD, PubMed, EBSCOhost, OT seeker, Scopus, Sabinet, Cochrane, and ProQuest were searched. Rayyan was used to sort studies and extract data, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The methodological quality of the 12 eligible studies was reviewed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) checklist tool and data were synthesized using meta-analysis techniques. This review found moderate to strong evidence for 11 of the 12 studies, that play programmes, with a combination of guided and free play, individual, and group therapy sessions, effectively promoted playfulness and social play.