Promoting Social Competence in Adolescent Girls with ASD: Evaluation of An Intervention Program

Background: Individuals with ASD often experience difficulties making friends, navigating social norms, and rate themselves as less socially competent compared to typically developing peers (Matson, Matson, & Rivet, 2007). There is limited research on social skills interventions targeting the adolescent age range, with even less targeting girls with ASD. Strategies such as role-playing, modeling, coaching, and feedback led to improved social skills, enhanced self-esteem, and improved interpersonal skills (Gresham, Sugai, and Homer, 2001; Matson, et al., 2007). Programs implemented in the child’s natural environment improve maintenance and generalization (Bellini, Peters, Benner, & Hopf, 2007).

Objectives: Evaluate an intervention program aimed at improving social conversation skills and self-care skills in an understudied population: adolescent girls with ASD. We expected girls with ASD, who complete the intervention would: 1) Improve in specific conversational skills targeted during intervention sessions; 2) Experience the greatest increase in conversational skills following sessions in which the specific skill were targeted; and 3) improve general social skills.

Methods:  We used a single subject, multiple baseline design (MBD) across behaviors to determine the effects of the intervention on three specific social conversation skills in four adolescent girls with ASD (ages 14-19 years). The intervention occurred across sixteen, 2 hour weekly sessions, with 3 baseline sessions (no specific strategies) and 13 intervention sessions that promoted acquisition of three specific conversation skills. The intervention targets social conversation skills and self care skills related to hygiene and appearance within age appropriate self care and leisure activities in the natural environment. The primary outcome measure is use of specific social conversation skills during a ten minute period using an interval observation method. Secondary outcomes included measures of general social skills, self perception, quality of life, and satisfaction. Intervention sessions include evidence based strategies (i.e., visual supports, reinforcement of specific behaviors, use of innovative technology, practice in natural settings across a variety of environments and people) to promote skill acquisition.

Results: All participants showed significant improvement in at least two of the three skills following sessions in which the specific skills were targeted, with consistent improvements in the first skill taught (talking about where you are, what you are doing, and exchanging information about each other). Most participants showed improvements in general social skills while only one participant showed significant improvement in self concept. Participants, peers, and parents indicated high satisfaction with program procedures and outcomes.

Conclusions: Pilot data suggest further study is warranted to determine if the intervention program promotes social competence in adolescent girls with ASD. Most participants in this study improved specific conversation skills (at least two of the three skills) following sessions in which they were targeted. Data patterns across participants suggest more focus on maintenance of skills throughout the program. Preliminary results from another pilot study examining peer perceptions of critical components of successful conversation suggest intervention components are ecologically valid. Future directions include a group design to evaluation the efficacy of the intervention program with the target population.