Evidence review in progress · May be OAP-covered
Direct answer
Kasari et al. (2014) · Wolfberg et al. (2015) · Verified 2026-08-20
Quick summary
In brief
Play Therapy, Quick Summary
- This page is general information, not an individualized treatment recommendation.
- Evidence labels summarize the page sources and should not replace clinical judgment.
- Confirm provider credentials, coverage, goals, monitoring, alternatives, and fees before starting.
General information only, not a diagnosis, treatment plan, crisis service, or individual estimate. Confirm your next step with the linked source or a qualified professional.
At a glance
- Evidence level
- Evidence review in progress
- OAP funding
- Eligible under OAP core clinical services
- Typical cost
- Provider fees vary by setting; request a current written quote
- Typical frequency
- Individual plan varies; confirm the schedule with a qualified clinician
- Target age range
- Age suitability varies; confirm fit with a qualified clinician
OAP Coverage Note
OAP eligibility depends on current program rules, the funded service category, and the provider's credentials. Confirm coverage with AccessOAP or your service coordinator before committing to care.
Who provides this therapy
- Provider credential check
- Ask any prospective provider which of these credentials they hold, and confirm the credential with the relevant regulatory college before starting.
- Credentials listed for this therapy
- Registered play therapists (Canadian Association for Play Therapy)
- Psychologists
- Occupational therapists
- Speech-language pathologists with play-based training
- Child and youth workers (under supervision)
Play Therapy Approaches for Autism
Several structured play approaches have evidence supporting their use with autistic children. Integrated Play Groups (IPG), developed by Pamela Wolfberg, brings together autistic children ("novice players") with neurotypical peers ("expert players") in structured play sessions guided by a trained adult facilitator. Research shows IPG increases symbolic play, social interaction, and reduces isolated or stereotyped play patterns.
Other structured play approaches include Joint Attention Symbolic Play Engagement and Regulation (JASPER), developed by Connie Kasari at UCLA, which targets joint attention and symbolic play as foundational skills for language and social development. JASPER has strong evidence from multiple RCTs showing increases in joint engagement, play diversity, and expressive language in young autistic children.
In Ontario, play therapy is often delivered within a multidisciplinary framework. Occupational therapists may focus on sensory-motor play and self-regulation, speech-language pathologists use play as a context for language intervention, and psychologists address emotional regulation and social-cognitive skills through therapeutic play. This integrated approach allows families to use OAP funding efficiently by targeting multiple developmental goals through play.
Research Evidence
JASPER (Joint Attention Symbolic Play Engagement and Regulation) has the strongest evidence base among play-based interventions for autism. A 2014 RCT by Kasari et al. in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry found that JASPER combined with a speech-generating device produced greater gains in spontaneous communicative utterances than JASPER alone. A 2015 follow-up showed that joint attention gains predicted later language development.
Integrated Play Groups research by Wolfberg and colleagues demonstrates consistent improvements in social play — autistic children in IPG showed increased reciprocal and symbolic play and decreased isolated play compared to control conditions. These findings support play-based approaches as effective complements to other therapies within a comprehensive support plan.
Evidence and sources
Kasari et al. (2014)
Communication interventions for minimally verbal children with autism: A sequential multiple assignment randomized trial. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 53(6), 635-646.
Wolfberg et al. (2015)
Integrated Play Groups: Promoting symbolic play and social engagement with typical peers in children with ASD across settings. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(3), 830-845.
Before you commit
- Questions worth asking any provider
- What certification or regulatory college licenses you to deliver this therapy, and can I verify it?
- How will you measure progress, and how often will you share results with our family?
- What does a typical session look like, and can we observe one before committing?
- How does this approach get adjusted if it is not working after a few months?
- What happens to our data, our schedule, and our funding if you leave or the practice closes?
- Signs to slow down
- The provider cannot name a regulatory college or certifying body, or asks you not to check it.
- You are asked to sign a long-term contract before seeing a session or meeting the therapist.
- Progress is described only in general terms, with no way to see or measure it over time.
- The provider discourages you from getting a second opinion or asking about other approaches.
- Fees, cancellation terms, or what OAP funding covers are unclear or change after you sign up.
Frequently asked questions
Structured play therapy approaches like JASPER and Integrated Play Groups have moderate evidence from randomized controlled trials showing improvements in joint attention, symbolic play, social interaction, and communication. The key distinction is that therapeutic play follows structured protocols with measurable goals, unlike unstructured recreational play.
Play therapy delivered by regulated health professionals with defined clinical goals may be eligible under OAP core clinical services. The therapy must target specific developmental objectives documented in a treatment plan. Recreational or unstructured play programs are not eligible. Confirm eligibility with AccessOAP.
Structured play therapy uses specific protocols, adult scaffolding, and measurable goals to address developmental objectives. The therapist sets up play scenarios that target skills like turn-taking, shared attention, symbolic thinking, and emotional regulation. Progress is tracked systematically, and strategies are adjusted based on the childs responses and development.
Where the waitlist stands
Families navigating autism services in Ontario face a documented multi-year wait. Here is the Ontario data — and a two-minute way to push back, when you are ready.
- Official provider list — snapshot of registered OAP providers. Ontario Autism Program (oapproviderlist.ca)
- Ontario Autism Program guidelines for Core Clinical Services and supports. Government of Ontario (2026)
Verified references and sources
Official Organizations
- [2025]Autism Spectrum Disorders Fact Sheet (updated September 17, 2025)World Health Organization (WHO) • Official • 2025-09-17
Peer-Reviewed Research
- [2010]Randomized, Controlled Trial of an Intervention for Toddlers With Autism: The Early Start Denver ModelDawson G, Rogers S, Munson J, et al. (Pediatrics) • Academic • 2010-01-01
- [2018]Early intensive behavioural intervention (EIBI) for young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD)Reichow B, Hume K, Barton EE, Boyd BA (Cochrane Systematic Review) • Academic • 2018-05-09
About this page
Check the author’s context, review method, and how to report an error.