Abstract

This study seeks to ensure the effectiveness of an early intervention program that uses play to develop social skills in children with intellectual disabilities between the ages of 3 and 6. The study used a one-group pre-test-post-test design with a sample of thirteen children with mild intellectual disabilities who were enrolled in an early intervention program at the Association of Children with Disabilities in Jeddah. To achieve the study’s objectives, the researchers used the Vineland Scale for adaptive behavior to assess the children’s social skills and designed a training program for mothers to teach social skills to their children with intellectual disabilities. The mothers participated in five training sessions. The study found that the early intervention program based on play was effective in developing social skills, including personal relationships, turn-taking, playtime, and coexistence, in children with intellectual disabilities in the 3 to 6 age range, and the improvement was maintained over time. The results also showed significant differences between pre-test and post-test measurements on the Social Skills Scale. However, there were no significant differences in the dimensions and follow-up measurements, indicating the program’s long-term impact.