By: First Behavioral February 19, 2025
The importance of play for healthy development is well established, underpinning the cognitive, social, and emotional growth of all children. However, for generations, the play of autistic children has been understood through a deficit lens that has described it as lacking imagination, failing to connect socially, being eccentric to neurotypical standards (Conn, 2015; Wing et al., 1977). This view both misrepresents autistic people’s lived experience and silences the voices of autistic people. A recent study conducted by O’Keeffe & McNally (2025) is indeed revolutionary, centering around autistic children’s own reflection on play. The common deficit models are challenged by their findings, which showed that autistic children experienced play as joyful, socially rich, and highly meaningful. Such insights are valuable for educators, clinicians, and parents whether they are advocating for inclusion and responsiveness to the child or wanting authentic play experiences.
The Problem with Deficit Models of Play
Historically, autistic play has been evaluated in comparison to neurotypical standards, with a focus on what is "missing" rather than what is unique and valuable. Diagnostic criteria such as those in the DSM-5 (APA, 2013) reinforce this approach, citing deficits in social play and imagination as key characteristics of autism. This framing has led to interventions aimed at "correcting" autistic play rather than understanding its intrinsic value (Pritchard-Rowe et al., 2024).
Studies have described autistic play as:
Abnormal (Jarrold et al., 1993)
Impoverished (Riguet et al., 1982)
Deficient or disordered (Conn, 2015)
Lacking social engagement (Kossyvaki & Papoudi, 2016)
Such characterizations fail to recognize the rich, multi-dimensional nature of autistic play. They also neglect the perspectives of autistic individuals themselves, reinforcing exclusionary practices in education and therapy.
A Strengths-Based Approach: Insights from Autistic Children
O’Keeffe & McNally’s (2025) research, conducted with 19 autistic children (ages 5–13), offers a refreshing alternative. By employing participatory methods—including interviews, drawings, and interactive storytelling—the study foregrounds the voices of autistic children. Their findings reveal three core themes in how autistic children conceptualize play:
1. Play is Centered on Joy and Pleasure
Children emphasized that play is defined by fun, enjoyment, and emotional engagement. Far from being disengaged, they described play as absorbing and fulfilling. Some children even referenced a state of "flow," a psychological concept where individuals become deeply immersed in an activity (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990).
🔹 Implication: Instead of measuring autistic play against neurotypical norms, interventions should focus on fostering intrinsic enjoyment and engagement.
2. Social Connections are Integral to Play
While past research has framed autistic play as solitary, O’Keeffe & McNally (2025) found that autistic children value social play and friendships. They described playing with peers, siblings, and even adults, highlighting the importance of shared experiences. However, they also acknowledged the need for autonomy in social interactions, preferring structured play or choosing play partners based on emotional comfort.
🔹 Implication: Social interventions should prioritize authentic peer interactions rather than enforcing neurotypical play styles. Encouraging structured and interest-based social play can enhance social engagement without forcing compliance with neurotypical norms.
3. Play is Engagement with Meaningful Materials and Activities
Autistic children described play as deeply connected to their interests—whether numbers, animation, or sensory experiences. Many engaged in play that others might misinterpret as repetitive but that held intrinsic meaning for them.
🔹 Implication: Educators and therapists should recognize that play, even when unconventional, serves important self-regulation, creativity, and learning functions. Sensory and special-interest-based play should be embraced rather than discouraged.
Implications for Practice: Fostering Inclusive Play Environments
✅ Reframing Play in Educational and Clinical Settings
Educators and therapists must move beyond corrective models and instead foster environments where play is recognized, respected, and encouraged. This includes:
Designing play spaces that accommodate sensory preferences.
Encouraging peer interactions that are structured but flexible.
Allowing children to initiate and guide play.
Valuing play that aligns with a child’s interests.
✅ Neuroaffirmative Approaches to Play Therapy
Traditional play-based interventions for autistic children often attempt to “normalize” play behaviors. A neuroaffirmative approach, by contrast, recognizes that autistic play is not less than but different from neurotypical play.
Rather than focusing on increasing pretend play as a marker of "progress," therapists should emphasize engagement, autonomy, and self-directed exploration.
Supporting special-interest-based play can foster intrinsic motivation, social connection, and emotional regulation.
✅ Revising Diagnostic Criteria
As Pritchard-Rowe et al. (2024) suggest, the DSM-5’s definition of autistic play as deficient must be revisited. Instead, diagnostic frameworks should acknowledge neurodivergent play styles as valid and developmentally rich.
Conclusion: Embracing the Future of Autistic Play
O’Keeffe & McNally’s (2025) research marks a critical step toward a more inclusive and affirming understanding of autistic play. By centering autistic voices, we can move beyond deficit-based narratives and embrace play as an authentic, meaningful, and integral part of autistic childhood. At FirstBehavioral, we advocate for evidence-based, neuroaffirmative approaches that celebrate autistic strengths. Our mission is to translate research into practice—ensuring that every child, regardless of neurotype, has the right to play in ways that bring them joy, connection, and fulfillment.
References
American Psychiatric Association (APA). (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).
Conn, C. (2015). Sensory highs, vivid remembering, and interactive stimming: Children's play cultures and experiences of friendship in autistic autobiographies. Disability & Society, 30(8), 1192-1206.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience. Harper & Row.
Jarrold, C., Boucher, J., & Smith, P. (1993). Symbolic play in autism: A review. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 23, 281–307.
O’Keeffe, C., & McNally, S. (2025). Like it’s making my heart run: A strengths-based understanding of the play of autistic children. Autism, 1–14.
Pritchard-Rowe, J., et al. (2024). Reframing autistic play: An exploration of autistic perspectives. Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, 7
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