Efficacy of a Parent-Mediated, Home-Based Structured Play Intervention on Social Cognitive Development in Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Non-Randomized Controlled Study
This study evaluates the efficacy of the Companion Mind-Drawing Cooperative Game Program, a parent-mediated, home-based structured play intervention targeting social cognitive development in young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Children with ASD in the intervention group will receive a structured program in which parents attend an in-person training session (approximately 2.5 hours) at the hospital, where parents are taught to administer a series of researcher-designed cooperative game paradigms at home. Parents then deliver the intervention daily for at least 30 minutes per session over a period of six months. Monthly online video reviews by a clinician provide parents with individualized feedback and guidance to ensure program fidelity and quality. Children with ASD in the comparison group will continue to receive usual care and will not receive the program during the study period. Social cognitive outcomes - including emotion recognition, theory of mind, empathy, joint attention, self-perception, and social communication - will be assessed at baseline and at 12-month follow-up using behavioral experimental tasks and eye-tracking paradigms. This study aims to provide evidence for the efficacy of a scalable, family-implemented social cognition intervention for young children with ASD.
⁃ Children：
• Aged 2.5 to 14 years at time of enrollment, with a primary recruitment focus on children aged 3 to 10 years.
• Meets diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), confirmed by a specialist clinician.
• Full-scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ) ≥ 70 as assessed by an age-appropriate Wechsler intelligence scale administered.
• Possesses sufficient verbal ability to engage with structured play-based intervention activities, as judged by the recruiting clinician.
• Resides with and is cared for by a participating parent or legal guardian who meets the caregiver eligibility criteria below.
⁃ Caregiver：
• Is the primary caregiver (parent or legal guardian) of the enrolled child and resides in the same household.
• Is able and willing to attend an in-person parent training session (approximately 2.5 hours) at the study site prior to intervention commencement.
• Is able and willing to commit to administering the structured intervention program to the child for a minimum of 30 minutes per day throughout the 6-month intervention period.
• Is able and willing to participate in monthly online video supervision sessions with the study clinician.
• Has sufficient literacy and comprehension ability to understand program training materials and follow intervention procedures.
• Provides written informed consent on behalf of the child and for their own participation prior to any study procedures.