Date Approved
2010
Degree Type
Open Access Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department or School
Health Sciences
Committee Member
Elizabeth B. Francis, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA, Chair
Committee Member
Gretchen Dahl Reeves, Ph.D., OT, FAOTA
Abstract
In an urban, midwestern public school, six children, ages 8-10 years old, engaged in ten weeks of Integrated Play Groups (IPGs) to teach skills to students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Lasting two and a half months, IPGs met for 30 minutes, twice weekly. The participants engaged in pre- and post-tests of the revised Chedoke-McMaster Attitudes Towards Children with Handicaps scale and pre- and post-focus groups. These means were used to investigate the research question: What can be learned about typical peers’ attitudes and acceptance of students with ASD through the expert players’ reflections on Integrated Play Group involvement? The quantitative measures revealed trends towards increased acceptance of the children with ASD, but without statistical significance. The qualitative methods exposed a positive lived experience of the IPGs with a powerful change in attitudes towards the children with ASD. Future research will be beneficial to expand upon this study.
Recommended Citation
Toon, Karen Kay, "Typically developing children’s attitudes and acceptance of children with autism spectrum disorder after integrated play group involvement" (2010). Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations. 285.
https://commons.emich.edu/theses/285