DIR/Floor Time in Engaging Autism: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Pediatric Therapy
• Childhood Developmental Disorders

Background:

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental condition impacting multiple areas of a child's development.
• Early intervention is crucial for managing ASD and improving long-term outcomes.
• The Floortime approach is a developmental, relationship-based intervention for children with ASD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and evaluate the effectiveness of the Floortime approach in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
• To synthesize findings on Floortime's impact on various developmental domains and parent-child interactions.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature review was conducted across major databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, etc.).
• Search terms included variations of 'DIR/Floortime', 'ASD', and 'autism'.
• Twelve studies published between 2010-2020, focusing on children with ASD without comorbid psychiatric diagnoses, were included.

Main Results:

• Floortime demonstrated substantial improvements in multiple areas of functioning for children with ASD.
• Home-based Floortime positively impacted emotional functioning, communication skills, and daily living abilities.
• Mothers reported enhanced parent-child interactions, with parental demographics influencing outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Floortime is a cost-effective, child-led intervention that can be initiated early.
• Early implementation by healthcare professionals is vital for enhancing social and emotional development in children with ASD.
• The approach showed no adverse events for children or parents.