Playground Behaviors of Children with and without Sensory Processing Disorders

Abstract

It has been well established that participation in social activities is essential to children's development and that disability status can affect a child's participation in everyday activities. However, little research has been done on the impact of sensory processing disorders (SPDs) on social participation and play behaviors. This study is part of a larger study examining the social participation of children with SPD and specifically compares the playground play behaviors of children with SPD and those of their typically developing peers. Both groups of children were observed over multiple sessions during unstructured recess activity and their behaviors were coded and analyzed. Statistically, results show that the play patterns of the two groups were generally similar. However, there were qualitative differences in the play behaviors of the two groups, including conflict, social play, access to play opportunities, and awareness of social cues. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.