The design of outdoor play environments for children with autism spectrum disorder

Literature review focused on the applicability to designing child development support facilities

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the developmental disorder which specified with (A) Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, and (B) Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. In Japan, most of the preschool children with ASD attend child development support facilities. While many studies have revealed the effectiveness of designing environments on supporting children with ASD, it is not understood what outdoor play environments is needed to support them at the child development support facilities. To examine that, this study conducted literature review focused on findings which applicable to design those facilities. As the result, it is important to design with consideration for the problems of sensory issues, the difficulty of prediction, compared with the difficulties of social communication and social interaction. Also, it is needed to design with understanding play features of children with ASD such as their concentration on their favorite play, their own purposes on their play. As the issue in the future, it is needed to reveal the reality of (1) how children with ASD play and (2) how the staff support them at the facilities.