Research: Making Scenes: Imaginative Practices of a Child with Autism in a Sensory Integration-Based Therapy Session

Authored by Park, M. in Medical Anthropology Quarterly, Volume 22, Issue 3, p. 234-256, (2008).

Article summary (posted Jul 2, 2009):

Acting out imaginary scenes may help children with autism begin a process called the "healing of belonging."

This article described social science theories about the human need for belonging. Children with autism may have a need to find the feeling of belonging. The author believes that acting out imaginary scenes can help children with autism imagine things being better, and give them hope and desire to heal and belong. The author observed sensory integration therapy sessions for 5 preschoolers, and 3 of them had autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Over 27 sessions were observed, and 27 were videotaped. In the article, the author described the imaginary play of the children. Children acted out different scenes that they created. For example, one child was a bird sitting on phone wires who might fall off. Another child was a Tyrannosaurus rex dinosaur. Their choices may show how they currently feel (worried about falling down) or how they hope they might be (strong and powerful like a dinosaur).

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You can access the original abstract and the complete paper is sometimes available for free via Google Scholar (look for entries that say "PDF" or "HTML" on the right side of the page).
acting, autism, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), imagination, occupational therapy (OT), park, play, science, sensory integration, therapy
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