Participation in Peer-Play Activities Among Children With Specific Learning Disability: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Occupational Therapy
• Developmental Psychology
• Special Education

Background:

• Children with specific learning disabilities (SLD) often exhibit challenges in social, academic, and executive function (EF) domains.
• Executive function encompasses crucial skills like behavior regulation and metacognition, impacting daily functioning.
• The Model of Human Occupation provides a framework for understanding how individuals engage in meaningful occupations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of peer-play activities on occupational values, competence, and EF skills in children with SLD.
• To explore the effectiveness of a specific intervention within the context of the Model of Human Occupation.
• To assess changes in behavior regulation and metacognition following peer-play activities.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 49 children aged 7-11 years with SLD.
• Participants were assigned to either a peer-play intervention group or a control group.
• Outcome measures included the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) and the Child Occupational Self-Assessment (COSA).

Main Results:

• The peer-play intervention demonstrated medium to large effect sizes on improving executive function (EF) skills.
• No significant changes were observed in occupational values and competence as measured by the COSA.
• Specific EF skills, including behavior regulation and metacognition, were positively influenced by the intervention.

Conclusions:

• Occupational therapy practitioners can effectively utilize peer-play activities to enhance executive function (EF) in children with SLD.
• While EF skills improve, self-perceived occupational values and competence may not be significantly altered by this intervention.
• The findings suggest a targeted approach for improving EF in children with SLD through play-based interventions.