Parental scaffolding in play: A comparison of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and autism spectrum disorder.

Background: Parental support of child play varies based on child needs; however, how parental play level differs from child play level remains an understudied area of research, especially in relation to specific developmental disabilities.

Aims: To preliminarily explore differences in child and parent play levels in age- and IQ-matched children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Methods: and Procedures: Parent-child dyads were recorded during free-play sessions. Parent/child play levels were coded for highest level achieved during each minute of play. Mean play level and dPlay (difference in parent versus child play level) were calculated across play sessions for each dyad.

Outcomes And Results: On average, parents of children with FASD demonstrated higher levels of play than other parents. Children with FASD demonstrated higher levels of play than their own parents. In contrast, the play level of parents of children with ASD did not differ from their child's. There were no between-group differences in dPlay.

Conclusions And Implications: This preliminary exploratory study suggests that parents of children with developmental disabilities may differentially 'match' their child's play level. Further research on developmental play levels during parent-child play is warranted.