Abstract:

This study examined the effect of peer-mediated physical activities on communication deficits of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The study group constituted of 12 children with ASD and 6 typically developing (TD) children. Participants were randolmly divided into an application group (children with ASD n = 6; TD children n = 6) and a control group (children with ASD n = 6). Peer-mediated physical activities were carried out for 10 weeks with children with ASD in the application group. Data were obtained using the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale-2. The scale was administered to children with ASD as pre-test, post-test and follow up test. The findings showed that there was a positively significant decrease in the communication deficits of children with ASD in the application group after peer-mediated physical activities. It was determined that this positive change observed in the communication deficits of children with ASD continued in the follow-up test one month after the study. As a result, it was gained the impression that peer-mediated physical activities had a positive effect on communication deficits of children with ASD.

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