Object play and exploration in children with and without disabilities: a longitudinal study

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Child Development
• Disability Studies

Background:

• Object play is a crucial aspect of early childhood development.
• Understanding play development in children with disabilities is essential for targeted interventions.
• Previous research has explored play behaviors, but direct comparisons across developmental ages are needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the developmental trajectory of object play in children with and without disabilities.
• To compare the types and engagement levels of object play between groups at similar developmental stages.
• To identify potential differences in play behaviors that may inform early intervention strategies.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal study of 40 children (20 with disabilities, 20 without).
• Children were assessed at multiple developmental ages (ranging from 6 to 27 months).
• Object play was videotaped during mother-child interaction in a controlled setting.

Main Results:

• Object play complexity correlated positively with developmental age in both groups.
• Children with disabilities exhibited similar types of object play as typically developing children at comparable developmental ages.
• A subsample analysis revealed that children without disabilities demonstrated greater duration and frequency of active object involvement.

Conclusions:

• Children with disabilities demonstrate object play skills comparable to their typically developing peers when matched for developmental age.
• Differences emerge in the *quantity* of active engagement with objects, suggesting potential areas for therapeutic focus.
• These findings underscore the importance of considering developmental age when assessing play skills in children with disabilities.