Table 1.

Dimensions and category systems in the observation instrument for patients (adaptation of Bauminger, 2002).

Response Levels	Dimensions	Category systems (codes)
Social Initiation (IS): The child begins a new social sequence, distinguished from a previous sequence by a change in activity. Social Response (RS): The child responds verbally and/or non-verbally to social stimuli directed toward him/her by peers.	High positive interaction (HPI): The child exhibits verbal and non-verbal social behaviors that lead to effective social process with peers. Behaviors that serve to start or maintain social interaction.	Eye Contact (CO): The child looks into the eyes of another child. Smile (SON): The child smiles at other children. Affection (AFEC): The child expresses affection for another child, either verbally (e.g., “You’re nice,” “I like you”) or non-verbally (e.g., hugs, touches). Sharing objects (COMOBJ): The child offers his/her objects to another child or shares an object with another child. Sharing experience (COMEXP): The child tells peers about an experience or asks them about their experiences (e.g., “What did you do over the weekend?”). Verbal social communication (COSOVER): The child approaches another child with a social (rather then functional) intention (e.g., “Let’s play”). Talk that reflects an interest in another child (CMI): The child expresses an interest in another child’s hobbies (e.g., “What’s your favorite game/object?”), mood (e.g., “Are you sad?”), etc. Giving help (OFAY): The child offers help to another child.
Social Initiation Social Response	Low level interaction (LPI): The child exhibits behaviors that indicate social intention, but with minimal social enactment, such as close proximity to children without initiating a positive social interaction. Also includes behaviors typical of the autistic syndrome (e.g., echolalia, idiosyncratic language).	Looking: At an action or person without eye contact (MIR): The child looks at the other child’s face or body, or child’s action, without establishing eye contact. Looks to the side, avoiding eye contact (MOL). Close proximity (PX): The child stands in close proximity to another child (3 feet or less) but does not approach the peer. Yes and No (YES/NO): The child only nods his/her head for yes or shakes it for no. Imitation peer (IMIC) or therapist (IMIT): The child imitates the talk or activity of another child or the therapist. Idiosyncratic language (LID): The child uses utterances with no clear meaning. Repetitive behavior (COMREP): The child behaves in a repetitive manner with no clear communication intent, but in close proximity to another child. Functional communication (COMFU): The child approaches or responds to another child with an intention to fulfill his/her own needs, and with no social intention (e.g., “It’s my turn on the computer now”), or just to express something related to the game, without social intent.
Social Initiation Social Response	Gestures	(GECONV): Greet, raise your hand, no / yes (with your head), come, shut up, ok, etc. (GESEN): Gestures that emphasize explanations or participants’ discourse, but that do not add any further meaning. (GEDES): Gestures that indicate the quantity, the size, the form... they describe something. (GESEÑ): Point your hand, arm or finger at something to show it to another. (GEMO): Gestures that indicate an emotion (covering your mouth (surprise or laughter), covering your eyes (disbelief), raising your hands or arm (joy), etc.)