A study on the effects of three game intervention programs on executive functions of preschool autistic children

Executive dysfunction has been widely reported in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although studies have demonstrated the intervention effect of sports game and pretend play on children's executive function, few studies have examined the effect of Comprehensive games, and similar studies in children with ASD are scarce. In order to investigate the effect of different games on the executive functions of preschool children with ASD, 24 preschool children with ASD were selected in this study. According to the results in the executive function Pre-test, measured by the autistic children's behavior scale and in the verbal behavior milestone assessment, the subjects were divided into three groups, and received 8 wk' sports games, pretend play and comprehensive games interventions respectively. After the first 4 wk' intervention, their executive functions undertook a mid-test, and the final assessment was done at the end the following 4 wk. The results showed that: (1) sports games significantly improved the working memory and cognitive flexibility of preschool children with ASD. The early stage could see the intervention effect on their working memory, while the effect on cognitive flexibility was shown in the late stage; (2) Pretend play effectively improved the working memory and cognitive flexibility of preschool children with ASD, and the intervention effect emerged in the late stage; (3) comprehensive game effectively improved the working memory and cognitive flexibility of preschoolers with ASD both before and after the intervention, and the improvement of inhibitory control has reached a marginal significant level. The intervention effect of comprehensive game was better than that of single sports games or pretends play. The results of this study have both theoretical and practical significance for the intervention of ASD children's cognitive development.