| This study assessed the play performance of 37 boys with autism and 42 boys without disabilities, aged 3 to 5 years, in Taiwan. Play performance was determined from videotaped observation of boys playing in the naturalistic environment, and rated using the standardized instrument of the Revised Knox Preschool Play Scale (PPS).; Results indicated that the autistic boys scored significantly lower than the normal boys on PPS and its four dimensions. Analyses demonstrated a significantly higher correlation between the PPS age scores and the chronological age in the normal boys than in the autistic boys. Discriminant analyses revealed that the age scores from PPS and its dimension of Space Management, Pretense/Symbolic, and Participation, each correctly classified the subjects into their actual groups with a high degree of precision (i.e., the classification rate ranged from .84 to .98). The score from Material Management dimension only correctly classified 67% of the subjects.; The Chinese Version of Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) was administered to estimate subjects' cognitive capability. Of 37 subjects with autism, only 15 subjects completed the test independently with a score over 70. An additional statistic was applied to compare the performance of this subgroup of autistic boys with their normal peers. Analysis indicated that this subgroup of autistic boys scored significantly lower on PPS and three of its four dimensions (Material Management, Pretense/Symbolic, and Participation) than their normal peers did. However, caution should be given to the interpretation of these results since the cognitive functioning (as measured by PPVT-R) was significantly lower in this subgroup of autistic boys, as compared to the normal controls.; This study broadened understanding of play performance in the Taiwanese population and was informative of the potential play deficiencies that may help explain a wide range of the impairments associated with autism. It also raised a number of concerns that demand future investigation. Some comments regarding the implication of the findings and the application of PPS in the Taiwanese population were directed to Taiwanese practitioners. |
