Here is a brief summary of the literature review findings, which will inform researchers and practitioners alike in their future endeavors into the essential task of improving the social skills of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Applications of technology to teach social skills to
children with autism
Florence
D. DiGennaro Reed *, Sarah R. Hyman, Jason M. Hirst in
Research
in Autism Spectrum Disorders 5 (2011) 1003–1010
This study
has analyzed articles relying on technology to teach social skills to
children with autism as well as the topographies addressed in those studies.
Topographies:
One-third (n = 10; 34.5%) implemented an intervention to improve multiple social skills.
Approximately
half (51.7%; n
= 15) focused
on teaching children with autism to initiate conversation, 27.6% (n = 8)
addressed play skills, 20.7% (n =
6) instructed children on social conventions during conversation, and
10.3% (n
= 3) taught children
how to respond to others’ initiations.
Very few studies addressed nonverbal
social behavior (n =
2), social problem-solving (n =
2), or emotion identification, regulation, and reciprocity (n = 2).
No
studies addressed friendship or peer relationships.
Technologies:
Video or DVD technology was
the most common (n
= 17; 58.6%)
and addressed the most topographies; Audio scripts addressed initiating
conversation, nonverbal social behavior, and others; Computer programs
were used with play skills and social-problem solving; Tactile prompts were
used with multiple social skills.
Assessment:
Studies
defined and included direct observation of the target social skills; however
the authors note the lack of use of standardized scales, which “has been suggested
as a best practice for early screening, determining specific areas of deficits
to design individual-specific interventions, and to standardize measures of
progress (Merrell, 2001). Of particular note, assessment of social skills deficits
allows the researcher to link assessment to treatment by matching the
intervention strategy adopted to the particular deficit identified (Gresham, Sugai, & Horner, 2001). ”
They
suggest: School Social Behavior Scales (SSBS; Merrell,
1993), Social Skills Rating System (SSRS; Gresham
& Elliott, 1990), and the Walker–McConnell Scales of Social Competence
and School Adjustment (SSCSA; e.g., Walker & McConnell, 1995).
