Table 3.

Point Estimates and 95% confidence intervals for child behavior and parent ratings during free play at 22, 28, and 34 months.

		22 months		28 months		34 months
		Point Estimate	95% C.I.	Point Estimate	95% C.I.	Point Estimate	95% C.I.
Simple Manipulation
LR		1.42	1.02–1.81	0.96	0.76–1.17	0.51	0.32–0.70
HR-noASD		1.26	0.69–1.84	0.90	0.62–1.18	0.54	0.26–0.82
ASD		2.60	0.89–4.32	1.81	0.88–2.73	1.01	0.31–1.70
Functional Play
LR		14.01	13.10–14.91	12.43	11.81–13.06	10.86	9.96–11.77
HR-noASD		14.26	12.88–15.63	11.70	10.59–12.81	9.15	7.44–10.85
ASD		16.16	14.08–18.25	14.32	12.52–16.11	12.47	9.95–14.99
Pretend Play
LR		3.53	2.69–4.36	5.70	5.07–6.33	7.88	6.93–8.83
HR-noASD		3.37	2.08–4.65	6.28	5.17–7.39	9.19	7.47–10.91
ASD		0.42	−0.71–1.55	2.41	1.26–3.55	4.39	2.15–6.64
Engagement w/ Parent
LR		3.00	2.83–3.17	3.01	2.88–3.14	3.02	2.86–3.18
HR-noASD		2.92	2.65–3.19	3.05	2.86–3.24	3.18	2.95–3.42
ASD		1.99	1.55–2.43	2.08	1.80–2.37	2.21	1.82–2.60
Parent Sensitivity
LR		5.52	5.15–5.90	5.69	5.44–5.94	5.86	5.55–6.16
HR-noASD		6.05	5.57–6.54	6.03	5.65–6.40	6.00	5.54–6.46
ASD		5.41	4.72–6.10	5.55	5.03–6.06	5.68	4.86–6.51
Parent Stimulates Cog Dev
LR		2.88	2.69–3.08	3.04	2.91–3.17	3.20	3.04–3.36
HR-noASD		3.39	3.12–3.65	3.44	3.26–3.61	3.49	3.25–3.72
ASD		2.76	2.36–3.16	2.86	2.6–3.11	2.95	2.52–3.39

Note: Play scores (simple manipulation, functional, pretend) reflect the number of play bouts out of a possible 20 during which that was the highest level reached.

Engagement with parent and stimulates cognitive development were rated on 4-point scales (1=low to 4=high).

Parent sensitivity was a composite of sensitive responsiveness + warmth − intrusiveness, all rated on 1–4 scales, with higher scores reflecting greater sensitivity.

ASD = Autism spectrum disorder; HR-noASD = High risk toddlers without a diagnosis; LR= Low risk toddlers.