Social Skills Training Group Effectiveness in Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Establishment of Social Skills Training Group in Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Effectiveness Analysis

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, and the presence of restricted, repetitive behavior and interests, affecting 1 in 68 children. Although atypical social deficits onset in early childhood, their social relationships with peers may remain a challenge or even worsen for individuals with ASD throughout the school years and beyond, as social contexts increase in complexity and pose higher social expectations.

Inclusion Criteria:

• aged 11-20 years, currently enrolled in school between the sixth grade of elementary school and the third year of high school
• with a clinical diagnosis of ASD from a licensed mental health or medical professional based on DSM-5
• experiencing social difficulties as reported by parents in a structured intake interview
• scored ≧ 26 on the caregiver-reported Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), indicating clinical impairment associated with ASD
• demonstrating verbal fluency in Chinese
• with a full-scale IQ > 70 on WAIS-IV
• with motivation to participate in the intervention;
• with a caregiver who was fluent in Chinese and willing to participate as a social coach in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• a history of major mental illness (e.g., bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia, or psychosis) or neurological diseases that might hinder participation in the treatment
• visual impairment and/or hearing impairment that would preclude participation in group-based social activities.