This study reports on a 6-year-old boy with autism spectrum disorder who presented with frequent aggressive and destructive behaviors as well as social difficulties, and who received 12 months of relationship-oriented play therapy. Through continuous documentation and analysis of the intervention process, four stages in the process of rule internalization were identified: rule testing, rule experiencing, rule understanding, and rule internalization. The findings indicate that the child initially tested interactional boundaries through repeated rule-violating behaviors, and gradually developed an experience of and understanding of rules within a stable and responsive relational context, ultimately achieving rule internalization and demonstrating increased behavioral stability and contextual flexibility. Further analysis suggests that rule internalization is not a simple process of behavior acquisition, but rather a developmental outcome constructed within relational interactions, accompanied by the coordinated development of language expression, emotional regulation, and social interaction abilities.
JIA Qian
,
ZHU Feng
. Relationship-Oriented Play Therapy Facilitating Rule Internalization in a Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Case Report[J]. Psychological Communications, 2026
, 9(2)
: 132
-140
.
DOI: 10.12100/j.issn.2096-5494.226020
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