Social engagements through art activities for two children with autism spectrum disorders

This is a case study report focusing on qualitative improvements in social and emotional communications of two children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) who participated in a behavioural art programme. This study took place in a classroom located in an autism research centre affiliated with a university in the central area of Taiwan. Two 6-year-old boys with autism were referred to this programme because of their poor social skills and frequent emotional outbursts both at home and in school. The art programme, consisting of opportunities to increase social communication skills with a behaviour-analytic instructional methodology, was implemented once a week for a total of seventeen sessions. Qualitative improvements in social and emotional communications were analysed from the participant’s artwork, their statements about their work, and parents’ and teachers’ reports regarding the children’s social interactions. Results indicated that this behaviourally oriented art programme helped to facilitate both the children’s expression of their own emotions as well as social interactions with each other during the art sessions. Improvement in social communication skills also became apparent at home and school.