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Integrated Play Groups

Category

Child & Family Health

Child's Age

3-4 years, 4-5 years

Participant

Children

Languages

English

Brief Description

Integrated Play Groups® (IPG) is a program used to guide autistic children and their neurotypical peers in mutually engaging experiences designed to foster socialization, play, and imagination in natural and inclusive settings.

Expected Impact

  • Increase in symbolic play behaviors 
  • Increase in social play behaviors 
  • Increase in neurotypical peer’s acceptance of individuals with differences 

Core Components for Model Fidelity

  • Group Sessions: Small group sessions of 3-5 children are led by an IPG guide or other qualified facilitator. Groups include neurodivergent and neurotypical children. Activities are designed with the children’s developmental capacities, interests, and needs in consideration. 

Languages Materials are Available in

English

Delivery Mode

In-person at the child’s school, therapy clinic, home, or other community setting. May be delivered virtually as needed.

Dosage

IPG meets twice a week for 12 weeks, each session lasting roughly 30-50 minutes. 

Infrastructure for Implementation

Materials: Materials that support the children’s play are required.

Space: Space for meetings is required, such as a classroom, playground, or other setting that allows for play and activity. 

Staffing Requirements

IPG Guides should be bachelor’s level professionals with experience caring for the intended audience. The IPG Guide must reach Mastery-Level Apprenticeship before facilitating a group session.

Training for Model Fidelity

IPG Guide Training is available in-person and online. There are 4 levels of training available, described below. IPG Guides must graduate the Mastery-Level Apprenticeship in order to facilitate and deliver IPG programs.  

  • Initial IPG Seminar: Basic introduction to principles and practices of the IPG model delivered via Zoom.
  • IPG Entry-Level Workshop: Intensive foundational training. Graduates are qualified to facilitate IPG sessions under direct supervision from a designated IPG Guide (Mastery level) or Field Supervisor.
  • IPG Guide Mastery-Level Apprenticeship: Prepares candidates with the knowledge and skills to facilitate IPG sessions with fidelity. Apprentices receive supervision while implementing 12-week IPG sessions. Graduates are qualified to deliver IPG programs in respective sites.
  • IPG Supervisor Mentorship: Offered in a single semester to prepare experienced mastery-level IPG Guides. Mentees gain experience by supervising entry-level IPG guides while implementing IPG interventions in respective sites. 

Contact Information

http://www.autismcollective.org

Pamela Wolfberg, PhD: info@wolfberg.com

Cost Estimates

Training costs are variable depending on the level of training and with respect to offering a sliding scale for underserved communities. The purveyor develops a working proposal with each training host while doing their best to offer the best rate possible that is consistent with other similar trainings in the field.

Thereafter, the costs for running programs are determined by the individual or group offering the service. In IPG’s trademark agreement, qualified IPG Guides and programs are asked to charge fees consistent with standards for a given profession and educational/therapeutic program. 

Purpose Service Code (PSC)

5417 – Early Intervention Services

Program Identifier (PID)

Integrated Playgroups

Minimal Outputs for NCPC Reporting

FY 24-25: 

  • Number of child care facilities participating* 
  • Number of children participating 

Minimal Outcomes for NCPC Reporting

FY 24-25: 

  • Increase of child practice of healthy behaviors 

Minimal Measures for NCPC Reporting

FY 24-25: 

  • IPG Parent Follow-up Survey 

NCPC Evidence Categorization

Evidence Informed- 3 publications, including a repeated measures study, a multiple baseline study, and a quasi-experimental study. No comparison groups. 

Research Summary

The studies below are included based on their relevance. Wolfberg, et al. (2015)1 found that during the symbolic play portion of the intervention the neurodivergent participants decreased in non-engaged and manipulation-sensory play behaviors and increased in functional and symbolic-play behaviors. In the social portion the children decreased in isolate and onlooker-orientation play behaviors and increased in parallel-proximity and common focus play behaviors. During sessions with unfamiliar peers, participants increased their symbolic and social play scores and decreased their non-engaged and isolated play behaviors. Overall, the ASD participants showed increases in functional and symbolic-pretend, parallel-proximity, common focus play behaviors, as well as decreases in non-engaged/manipulation-sensory and isolate/onlooker-orientation play behaviors.  Zercher et al. (2001)2 was conducted as a multiple baseline study design across subjects. The participants with Autism showed increases in joint attention, symbolic play behaviors and language use after following the IPG model. The study also showed that the IPG model could be used in community settings, in addition to schools. Lantz et al. (2004)3 used a similar quasi-experimental design. The IPG intervention improved play behaviors of the student with autism (novice player) both in the intervention and in the general classroom, post- intervention. The following percentages represent the percentage of time the novice player engaged in social play behaviors at each data collection point: 35% (baseline in classroom), 60% (baseline in playgroup), 83% (intervention), 90.5% (post-intervention in classroom), and 85.5% (post-intervention in playgroup). Overall, the study showed that the IPG model can be used effectively in a school setting. 

  1. ^ See Wolfberg et al. (2015). This study was conducted using a repeated measures design in which 48 children diagnosed with Autism or ASD and 144 neurotypical peers, between 5 and 10 years old, with diverse backgrounds participated. They were recruited from schools, clinics, and community agencies located in an urban location. The IPG intervention ran for 12 weeks during which two children with Autism/ASD and 3 neurotypical peers met twice a week for 60 minutes. Data was collected during 4 periods separated by 3 months: baseline, pre-treatment, intervention, and post-treatment. In order to measure symbolic and social play behaviors the researchers used a continuous sequential coding system. The data for coding was collected through video recordings of randomly selected 5-minutes sections of the IPG session during the initial and final two weeks of the 12 weeks. The ASD participants spent 15 minutes of unsupported playing with unknown peers at baseline, pre-treatment, and post-treatment. These sessions were set up using the Lowe and Costello Symbolic Play Test.
  2. ^ See Zercher et al. (2001). Two 6-year-old twin brothers diagnosed with Autism participated in the play group with three neurotypical girls ages 5, 9, and 11. The neurotypical peers were trained on how to interact and play with the boys before implementing the play groups. The play groups were implemented over 16 weeks for 30 minutes a week. Data was collected during the three phases: no intervention, intervention with adult coaching, and intervention without adult coaching. An interval system was used for observing and recording behaviors and each boy was observed for 15 minutes per session. Limitations include that increases in play behaviors at baseline and during treatment may be due to an increase in prompting and that this study design only included one replication.
  3. ^ See Lantz, et al. (2004). One child with Autism (novice player), one child diagnosed with a developmental delay, language delays, and social difficulties (though she had poor attendance during the study) and three neurotypical children participated in this study (expert players). The children were pre-school/kindergarten age and attended a rural school. Researchers collected data on the novice players (the diagnosed players) during “baseline with classmates”, the baseline with the other playgroup children, the last 5 minutes of the 7 intervention sessions, the post-intervention with classmates, and lastly during the post-intervention with the playgroup children. A questionnaire created to measure social validity was given to parents and teachers. A treatment integrity form developed by the researchers was used for the observers, and behaviors were observed by trained individuals. Limitations include that data could not be collected on the other novice player due to school absence and there were difficulties with scheduling and staff knowledge in the school setting. However even with less than the recommended amount of sessions the intervention was still effective and had beneficial outcomes for the student involved.

Researched Population

  • Children from pre-school/kindergarten age to 11 years
  • Children diagnosed with Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their neurotypical peers

Clearinghouse and Compendium References

National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice- page 103, referenced in Peer-Based Instruction and Intervention

Lantz, J. F., Nelson, J. M., & Loftin, R. L. (2004). Guiding children with Autism in play: Applying the Integrated Play Group model in school settings. Teaching Exceptional Children, 37(2), 8-14. https://www.doi.org/10.1177/004005990403700201

Wolfberg, P., DeWitt, M., Young, G. S., & Nguyen, T. (2015). Integrated Play Groups: Promoting symbolic play and social engagement with typical peers in children with ASD across settings. Journal of Autism Development Disorder, 45, 830-845. https://www.doi.org/10.1007/s10803-014-2245-0 

Zercher, C., Hunt, P., Schuler, A., & Webster, J. (2001). Increasing joint attention, play and language through peer supported play. Autism, 5(4), 374-398. https://www.doi.org/10.1177/1362361301005004004

Please see this link for an extensive list of the research support for this model: http://www.wolfberg.com/efficacy_EBP.html



Local Partnerships Currently Implementing

Local Partnerships in purple have adopted Integrated Play Groups. Local Partnership contact information can be found here.