CODE: 127753

DEVELOPMENT OF A PLAY BASED

INTERVENTION WITH LEGO® EDUCATION
TO PROMOTE SOCIAL SKILLS IN CHILDREN
Presenter: Luciana Oliveira De Angelis WITH ASD
Luciana Oliveira De Angelis¹; Fernanda; Tebexreni Orsati¹; José Salomão Schwartzman ¹;
¹Mackenzie Presbiterian University, São Paulo – SP - Brazil.
Contact email: luangelis@gmail.com

Background Data Analysis

The LEGO® Therapy is an intervention In this series of case studies the intervention
protocol to promote social interaction in sessions who analysis consisted in coding
children with ASD. Participants are video clips from sessions to check the
encouraged to play building a model feasibility of the intervention, and the
together, where each of them plays a role indicators of social interaction behaviors
with specific functions and rules. acquired including offering and asking for
help, initiate and respond to interaction, and
Objective
finally the execution of the activity.
Develop a protocol for the Brazilian context
using LEGO® Education materials in a Results
systematic way, aiming to practice social
interaction. Behaviors stimulated
Methods Pre and post intervention data comparisons
revealed that after intervention all participants
Sample: individually showed significant improvement
8 children, between 5 and 7 years old with in each of the social interaction measures,
clinical diagnosis of ASD. including offering and asking for help, initiate
and respond to interaction, and execution of
Instruments: the activity.
- CARS – assessing severity of ASD Paired t test, to compare pre and post
symptoms intervention means, showed significant
- Vineland-2 – for adaptive functioning difference when combining all social
- DCDQ-3 – for motor coordination interaction behaviors per session going from
- IFERA I- for executive functions 14 to 56,25 instances (p=0,001) Table 01 .
Table 1: Frequency of pre and post intervention behaviors.
Procedure:
The sessions are divided into 7 stages and
take place in a structured environment
(Figure 1), where children, organized in
pairs, collaboratively build a model (Figure
2) while being stimulated by the researcher
who combines aspects of behavioral
therapy and naturalistic communication
strategies. included in LEGO® building *p<0,05

tasks. Figura2: Models LEGO®

Figura1: Setting of intervention

Conclusion
• This pioneer study in Brazil showed that
the LEGO Therapy systematized protocol
can be a promising intervention and low
cost for social skills in children with ASD.

Financial support
References:
ANGELIS, L. O. (2020) Desenvolvimento de uma intervenção lúdica com lego® education para promover habilidades sociais em crianças com TEA.
2020. 116f. Dissertação (Mestrado em Distúrbios do Desenvolvimento) – Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie, São Paulo.
LINDSAY, S., HOUNSELL, K. G., CASSIANI, C. (2017). A scoping review of the role of LEGO® therapy for improving inclusion and social skills
among children and youth with autism. Disability and Health Journal.
CODE: 127753
DEVELOPMENT OF A PLAY BASED
INTERVENTION WITH LEGO® EDUCATION
TO PROMOTE SOCIAL SKILLS IN CHILDREN
Presenter: Luciana Oliveira De Angelis WITH ASD
Luciana Oliveira De Angelis¹; Fernanda; Tebexreni Orsati¹; José Salomão Schwartzman ¹;
¹Mackenzie Presbiterian University, São Paulo – SP - Brazil.
Contact email: luangelis@gmail.com

Background Procedure
The LEGO® Therapy is an intervention The sessions consisted of social skills
protocol to promote social interaction in training, combined aspects of behavior
children with ASD. Participants are therapy and naturalistic communication
encouraged to play building a model strategies where children organized in pairs
together, where each of them plays a role were encouraged by the researcher to
with specific functions and rules. perform the assembly activity through task
rotation in a structurad setting (Figura1) .
Objective
Develop a protocol for the Brazilian context
using LEGO® Education materials in a
systematic way, aiming to practice social
interaction.
Methods
Sample:
8 children, between 5 and 7 years old with Figura1: Setting of intervention
clinical diagnosis of ASD.
Results
Instruments:
- CARS – assessing severity of ASD Behaviors stimulated
symptoms Pre and post intervention data comparisons
- Vineland-2 – for adaptive functioning revealed that after intervention all participants
- DCDQ-3 – for motor coordination individually showed significant improvement
in each of the social interaction measures,
- IFERA I- for executive functions including offering and asking for help, initiate
and respond to interaction, and execution of
Data Analysis: the activity.
In this series of case studies the intervention Paired t test, to compare pre and post
sessions with two children with ASD were intervention means, showed significant
conducted by the first author. Sessions lasted difference when combining all social
an average of 40 minutes in a total of 12 interaction behaviors per session going from
meetings. Analysis consisted in coding video 14 to 56,25 instances (p=0,001) Table 01 .
clips from sessions to check the feasibility of
the intervention, and the indicators of social Conclusion
interaction behaviors acquired including • This pioneer study in Brazil showed that
the LEGO Therapy systematized protocol
offering and asking for help, initiate and
can be a promising intervention and low
respond to interaction, and finally the cost for social skills in children with ASD.
execution of the activity.
Table 1: Frequency of pre and post intervention behaviors. Financial support

*p<0,05

References:
ANGELIS, L. O. (2020) Desenvolvimento de uma intervenção lúdica com lego® education para promover habilidades sociais em crianças com TEA.
2020. 116f. Dissertação (Mestrado em Distúrbios do Desenvolvimento) – Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie, São Paulo.
LINDSAY, S., HOUNSELL, K. G., CASSIANI, C. (2017). A scoping review of the role of LEGO® therapy for improving inclusion and social skills
among children and youth with autism. Disability and Health Journal.