Arranging play activities with missing items to increase object-substitution symbolic play in children with autism spectrum disorder

Figures & data

Table 1. Themes, activities, missing items, and examples of substitutes used in the study.

Activity	Missing item (substitutes)
Theme 1: Kitchen
Making stir fry	Spatula (straw, rectangular block, ruler) Vegetables (cylinder block, plastic ball, eraser)
Cooking dumplings	Pot (cup, pot lid, earphone bag) Dumplings (binder clips, cube blocks, paper clips)
Having cakes	Knife (ruler, paint brush, pen) Cake cream bottle (toy corn, highlighter, cylinder block)
Drinking juice	Juice bottle (Rubik’s cube, rectangular block, sticky notes) Cup (empty paper roll, cylinder block, LEGO block)
Cooking noodles	Plate (pot lid, sticky notes, snowflake plastic disc) Noodles (earphone cord, shoe lace, paper strips)
Theme 2: Doll House
Watching TV	Sofa (rectangular block, toy cabbage, Rubik’s cube) TV (sticky notes, toy basket, earphone bag)
Planting flowers	Flower pot (cube block, sand castle toy, sticky notes) Watering can (toy corn, binder ring, triangular block)
Sleeping	Bed (plastic palette, paper plate, rectangular block) Blanket (pot lid, sticky notes, napkin)
Reading	Book (sticky notes, cube block, earphone bag) Crayon (stick, toy candle, triangular prism block)
Going to the doctor	Needle (stick, pencil, hairpin) Band-Aid (scotch tape, leaf, tissue strip)
Theme 3: Going to School
Taking a taxi	Car (rectangular block, toy duck, Rubik’s cube) Backpack (earphone bag, square block, binder clip)
Bus stop	Bus stop (pen, cylinder block, toy candle) Cellphone (block, snowflake disk, highlighter)
Taking a bus	Bus pass (plastic palette, sticky note, paper board) Bus (rectangular block, cellphone case, ruler)
Opening the door	Door (rectangular block, paper board, plastic palette) Key (binder clip, toy lollipop, hairpin)
Crossing the street	Traffic light (rectangular block, highlighter, Lego block) Zebra crossing (paper plate, sticky note, three sticks)
Theme 4: Playground
Playing football	Football (toy apple, ping-pong ball, cube block) Goal (plastic basket, plastic frame, pot lid)
Playing with sand	Sand (paper flakes, paper clips, toy bees) Shovel (toy corn, toy knife, rectangular block)
Playing basketball	Basketball (marble, cube block, plastic bottle lid) Basket (cup, empty paper roll, scotch tape)
Slide	Ladder (rectangular block, LEGO block, Rubik’s cube) Sliding board (sticky note, paper plate, ruler)
Riding a bike	Handlebar (arch block, t-shaped tube, toy corn) Wheels (plastic bottle lid, coin, round disk)
Theme 5: Daily Routines (Generalization)
Showering	Showerhead (toy lollipop, toy spoon, cylinder block) Shower gel (cube block, toy corn, toy sausage)
Combing hair	Comb (pen, LEGO block, toy knife) Mirror (sticky notes, cellphone case, earphone bag)
Sweeping the floor	Broom (binder clip, paint brush, toy spoon) Trash can (cup, Rubik’s cube, cube block)
Brushing teeth	Toothbrush (pen, straw, toy flute) Toothpaste (toy corn, cylinder block, stick)
Washing face	Facial cleanser (rectangular block, toy sausage, eraser) Towel (sticky notes, small drawstring bag, napkin)
Theme 6: Park (Generalization)
Buying tickets	Cash (sticky notes, rectangular block, napkin) Ticket (snowflake plastic disc, tissue paper, plastic palette)
Rowing a boat	Boat (pot lid, cup, plastic palette) Oar (straw, toy spoon, binder clip)
Picnic	Picnic blanket (napkin, drawstring bag, plastic palette) Food (water bottle lid, LEGO blocks, cube blocks)
Shopping	Shopping cart (Rubik’s cube, earphone bag, Lego block) Shopping bag (plastic bag, envelop, small drawstring bag)
Making fruit kabob (fruits on a stick)	Stick (toy flute, hairpin, pen) fruits (marble, ping-pong ball, plastic bottle lid)

Figure 1. Percentage of correct responses for target themes in probe sessions across conditions for Qiqi.

Figure 2. Percentage of correct responses for target themes in probe sessions across conditions for Zhezhe.

Figure 3. Percentage of correct responses for target themes in probe sessions across conditions for Mile.

Figure 4. Percentage of correct responses for generalization themes in probe sessions across conditions for three children.

Figure 5. Percentage of intervals engaging in functional, symbolic play, and problem behavior before and after the intervention for three children.