Play, Playfulness, and Self-Efficacy: Parental Experiences with Children on the Autism Spectrum.

The study included only four parental couples, eight parents in total, and the authors state this limited number prevented reaching saturation. The couples had very different family contexts, so the authors say this diversity made it harder to reach saturation. Findings are based on parents' interview narratives, not direct observation of play. The study did not compare these parents with parents of neurotypical children, so it cannot say whether the experiences are specific to autism. Participants were from Puerto Rico and interviews were translated into English for publication, so transferability to other settings is uncertain. The study did not test occupational therapy coaching or any play intervention.

Do not read these themes as evidence that parent coaching improves play or self-efficacy. The study did not test an intervention, and the authors say the small number of parents was a main limitation.