Autistic Input in Social Skills Interventions for Young Adults: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Monahan, J., Freedman, B., et al. (2023).
Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 10(1), 1-21.
This systematic review investigates the effects of social skills interventions on outcomes such as social skills knowledge, social responsiveness, mental health indicators, and empathy for young adults on the autism spectrum.
J.P. Morgan Chase & Company
From 1990 to Spring 2020
Peer-reviewed articles
26
Most studies of group intervention (e.g., Assistive Soft Skills and Employment Training [ASSET], Acquiring Career, Coping, Executive control and Social Skills program [ACCESS], Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills [PEERS] for young adults, aspirations, and the Supported employment, Comprehensive Cognitive Enhancement and Social Skills program [SUCCESS]) showed positive changes to outcomes such as social responsiveness and the number of social gatherings outside treatment, as reported by care partners. Most interventions targeting empathy showed positive findings. No changes were seen in social anxiety or depression and findings were mixed with regard to reduction in loneliness.
There were positive findings for the effects of individual treatment (e.g., covert audio coaching, video-modeling, behavior skills training, feedback, script-fading) on the targeted social skills such as asking and answering questions, conversational turn-taking, and initiating bids for joint-attention. Additionally, two studies of structured social planning interventions showed increases in social activities, extracurricular activities, and peer interactions. Outcomes were measured via self-report or observation of behavior.
Eleven of 26 studies elicited feedback from participants (e.g., how beneficial the intervention was and if they would recommend the intervention to others). Participants reported high levels of satisfaction and positive experiences with the interventions.
