O brincar livre e/ou mediado de crianças com transtorno do espectro autista nível 1 e 2 de suporte em contexto escolar

Abstract

Play is understood as a universal, spontaneous, and social phenomenon, associated with the promotion of mental, physical, and social skills, engagement with reading, independence, and inclusion. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by deficits in communication and social interaction, as well as repetitive behaviors and restricted interests (Araújo e Neto, 2014). According to the DSM-5-TR (APA, 2022), ASD is classified by levels of support (1, 2, and 3), rather than as mild, moderate, or severe. The literature indicates that play in autistic children is generally solitary, with a predominance of exploratory and sensorimotor interactions; however, this study highlights that national observational research on play in autism is still scarce, reinforcing the need for further studies. Thus, the main objective of this research was to understand the free play of children with ASD in school environments, considering their interactions with other children and adults. Six children diagnosed with ASD (levels 1 and 2 of support), aged between 5 and 8 years and enrolled in three private schools in Salvador, Brazil, were observed. Data collection was carried out through descriptive records of behavior, totaling 18 sessions of 15 minutes (270 minutes of observation). The analysis of play episodes was based on the categories proposed by Morais and Otta (2003), centered on action and interaction, with the addition of the “exploratory” category (Loebach e Cox, 2020), and criteria such as vocalization, laughter, and motor behavior (Bichara, 1994) were used to identify play occurrences. Regarding types of play, according to the predominant nature of the action, physical exercise play was the most frequent (86 episodes), followed by social contingency (71), exploratory (35), games with rules (19), pretend play (27), construction (7), and rough-and- tumble play (2). In terms of interaction categories, cooperative play was the most frequent (66 episodes), especially among children with level 1 support. However, children with level 2 showed more solitary (46) and parallel (19) play episodes, and no associative play was identified. Despite the high frequency of collaborative play, the trend reported in the literature— particularly among children with level 2 support—toward solitary and exploratory play, as well as difficulties in initiating and sustaining interactions, remains evident. Nevertheless, the findings also indicate the occurrence of cooperative and symbolic play, including pretend play associated with rule-based games and attempts to engage peers, especially when the children had friends, were invited to play, or received positive feedback from peers. These results point to the potential of play in ASD, especially when mediated by adults and peers. The research suggests the importance of pedagogical strategies that value play as a tool for inclusion and highlights the need for national studies with more unified analytical criteria capable of guiding school practices toward more inclusive environments. Keywords: Autism; Play; Inclusion; Social interaction; Early childhood education.