This handbook identifies the various social deficiencies widely associated with children and youth diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It discusses possible causes as well as the lifelong effects if these deficiencies are not addressed. The handbook presents current behavioral and curriculum-based methods for assessing social deficits. Chapters examine the various interventions that have been used to improve social skills and behavior, including video modeling, peer-mediated interventions, and script fading. Chapters also assess various interventions using empirically based procedures, evaluate the research of each of these procedures, provide guidelines for treatment planning, and offer clinical recommendations. The handbook concludes with future directions for the development of both social behavior and clinical social skills interventions. Topics featured in the Handbook include: Impairments in social behavior that may result in negative outcomes such as depression, loneliness, and suicide in individuals with ASD. Bullying among youth with ASD. Behavioral skills training to promote social behavior of individuals with ASD. The Early Start Denver Model approach to helping young children with ASD. The implementation of social skills groups for individuals diagnosed with ASD. The Handbook of Social Skills and Autism Spectrum Disorder is a must-have resource for researchers, clinicians/professionals, and graduate students in clinical child, school, and developmental psychology, behavioral therapy, and social work, as well as such interrelated disciplines as child and adolescent psychiatry, rehabilitation medicine/therapy, pediatrics, and special education/educational psychology.

This book examines current trends and practices in social skills instruction for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), focusing on empirical support of current practices and for which populations such practices have been most frequently evaluated (e.g., ages, levels of functioning). It details key practices that may be implemented as social skills teaching strategies as well as the theoretical underpinnings of the teaching strategies, relevant empirical support, and a guide to utilization supported by the empirical evaluations. These guides to utilization are a practical tool for implementation of commonly evaluated social skills teaching strategies. In addition, the book describes limitations of social skills teaching and offers recommendations for future research and intervention strategies that may overcome its current limitations. Key topics featured include: Video modeling and social skills training for individuals with ASD. Behavioral skills training for ASD. Peer-mediated teaching of persons with autism. Social narratives of individuals with ASD. Social Skills Teaching for Individuals with Autism is a must-have resource for researchers, professors, and graduate students as well as clinicians, therapists, and other professionals in clinical child and school psychology, behavioral therapy/rehabilitation, social work, public health, and all interrelated disciplines.

Building Social Relationships addresses the need for social skills programming for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders and other social difficulties by providing a comprehensive model that incorporates the following five steps: assess social functioning, distinguish between skill acquisition and performance deficits, select intervention strategies, implement intervention, and evaluate and monitor progress. The model describes how to organize and make sense of the myriad social skills strategies and resources available to parents and professionals. It is not meant to replace other resources or strategies, but to synthesize them into one comprehensive program.

This book discusses the deficits in the development and presentation of play behavior and social skills that are considered central characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The book explains why play provides an important context for social interactions and how its absence can further exacerbate social deficits over time. It highlights the critical roles of social skills in development, and the social, cognitive, communication, and motor components of play. Chapters offer conceptually and empirically sound play and social skills interventions for children with ASD. Play activities using diverse materials and including interactions with peers and parents are designed to promote positive, effective social behaviors and encourage continued development. The book provides unique strategies that can be tailored to fit individual children’s strengths and deficits. Topics featured in this book include: Naturalistic Teaching Strategies (NaTS) for developing play and social skills. Teaching play and social skills with video modeling. Peer-mediated intervention (PMI) strategies that promote positive social interactions between children with ASD and their peers. Visual Activity Schedules and Scripts. Parent-implemented play and social skills intervention. Play and Social Skills for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder is a must-have resource for researchers, clinicians, and graduate students in clinical child and school psychology, behavioral therapy/rehabilitation, social work, public health, and related psychology, education, and behavioral health fields.

Coordinated by the highly respected Organization for Autism Research, this accessible text from 20+ top experts lays out current research and best-practice recommendations for promoting social skills and adaptive behavior in students with autism.

Although there is a push to include students with autism spectrum disorders in the general academic context, students with autism are often not fully included in the social environment of schools. Even when students with autism are in the same settings as their typically developing peers, they often have few social interactions with their peers (e.g., Carter, Hughes, Guth, & Copeland, 2005). One reason for the dearth of social interactions that students with autism have during the school day may be related to deficits in social skills which can interfere with interactions with peers. Peer networks, a type of peer-mediated intervention, have been shown to be effective in increasing the social contacts and relationships of students with disabilities. In peer networks, gains in social interactions are accomplished by providing training to general education peers who compromise a social network for the student with a disability (SWD) outside of the classroom setting. However, the literature on peer networks varies as to if specific social skills training for the SWD is included and often does not fully examine specific or even general social skills deficits of the SWD. This study examined the effectiveness of a peer network plus intervention which incorporated an explicit social skills training component within a peer network framework. Four participants with an educational diagnosis of autism participated in a 10 week peer network intervention. A social skills training component was added to the peer network systematically. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the peer network plus intervention for (a) enhancing targeted social skills of the students with autism, (b) enhancing broader social skills as measured by multiple social skill and adaptive questionnaires, and (c) increasing the number of social contacts, friendships, and interactions students with autism have in high schools. In addition, the social validity of this intervention was measured in order to determine the feasibility and acceptability for use in schools and by school personnel. Finally, the study examined the sensitivity of the Autism Social Skills Profile (ASSP, Bellini & Hopf, 2007) for use as a progress monitoring tool with these interventions. Using a multiple baseline across participants design, this study demonstrated that the social skills component of the peer network plus intervention was effective at improving the targeted social skills of all four participants. Two independent coders found Strong Overall Evidence for improvements in social skills when the social skills component was added for each participant. There was Moderate Overall Evidence for the impact of the social skills training component on the number of interactions students with autism had with their peers during the network meetings. Students with autism, peers without disabilities, and school staff interventionists all rated the intervention favorably. The ASSP was not consistently sensitive enough to detect improvements in social skills for all participants. Implications of the study, as well as limitations and directions for future research, are discussed.

The only evidence-based program available for teaching social skills to adolescents with autism spectrum disorders Two nationally known experts in friendship formation and anxiety management address the social challenges faced by adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The book helps educators instruct youth on conversing with others, displaying appropriate body language, managing anxiety, initiating and participating in get-togethers, and more. The book is filled with helpful information on ASD to aid teachers who have received little training on the topic. Extremely practical, the book includes lesson plans, checklists, and sidebars with helpful advice. Based on UCLA's acclaimed PEERS program, the only evidence-based approach to teaching social skills to adolescents with ASD Contains best practices for working with parents, which is the key to helping kids learn social skills The authors discuss the pros and cons of teaching students with ASD in educational settings like full inclusion (good for academics but bad for social skills) and pull-out special day classes (where the reverse is true) Provides a much-needed book for teachers at all levels for helping students develop the skills they need to be successful.