Theater Camp Helps Improve Cognitive Skills in Autistic Children

Just two weeks of theater camp for autistic children can help in enhancing their cognitive skills, a latest study by Vanderbilt University states.

The program SENSE, the Social Emotional Neuroscience & Endocrinology, analysed social interaction of  autistic children aged between 8 and 17. These children participated with kids without the condition. The healthy were trained in communication and social interaction. Autistic children lag in such skills. SENSE incorporated various techniques, role-play and improvisation in the theatre workshop to involve the autistic children. There was later a public performances of a play.

After analyzing the pre and post-camp behaviour of the autistic children, the researchers noticed that the findings showed an overall improvement in autistic children.  The physiological stress and self-reported parental stress in the kids was decreased. "The findings show that treatment can be delivered in an unconventional setting, and children with autism can learn from unconventional 'interventionists' - their typically developing peer," said lead author Blythe Corbett, Ph.D., associate professor of Psychiatry and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center investigator.

"Our findings show that the SENSE Theatre program contributes to improvement in core social deficits when engaging with peers both on and off the stage," Corbett said. "This research also shows it's never too late to make a significant difference in the lives of children and youth with autism spectrum disorder, as (this program) targets children who are much older than kids who are participating in early intervention, yet we are still seeing significant gains in the core deficits of autism, and in a rather brief intervention."