Addressing social skills deficits in adults with Williams syndrome.
A single BST lesson boosts social knowledge in adults with Williams syndrome.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Finke et al. (2017) ran a short social skills class for adults with Williams syndrome.
They used the SSTP-WS package: one lesson with modeling, practice, and feedback.
Before and after the lesson they tested what adults knew about talking and making friends.
What they found
After the single lesson the adults scored higher on a social knowledge test.
The authors say even a brief BST burst can move the needle for this group.
How this fits with other research
EGranieri et al. (2020) pooled 18 autism trials and found tech or in-person SST both work.
That big picture lines up with H et al.—brief BST helps across developmental diagnoses.
Connor et al. (2020) gave eight work-social lessons to young adults with HFASD and also saw gains, showing the same pre-post pattern H et al. used.
Diz et al. (2011) mapped WS social gaps in kids; H et al. now shows those gaps are still treatable in adults.
Why it matters
You can add a one-off SSTP-WS module to your adult day program tomorrow.
No extra staff or gear is needed—just model, rehearse, and give feedback.
Track knowledge with a quick quiz before and after to show the change.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Individuals with Williams syndrome (WS) are hypersocial; yet, they experience social difficulties and trouble with relationships. This report summarizes findings from three studies examining the social functioning of adults with WS and the feasibility of a social skills training program for adults with WS (SSTP-WS) through the examination of performance on initial lesson plans. METHOD: Study 1: 114 parents of adults with WS completed the Social Responsiveness Scale-2. Study 2: 10 adults with WS and 12 of their parents participated in focus groups to further describe the deficits identified in Study 1 and to discuss a SSTP-WS. Study 3: 30 adults with WS were randomly assigned to 2 lessons on either conversations or relationships and pre-post change in social skills knowledge was assessed. RESULTS: Study 1 indicates adults with WS experience severe social impairments in social cognition, and mild-moderate impairments in social awareness and social communication. Qualitative results in Study 2 indicate a SSTP-WS should address conversation skills and relationships. In Study 3, participants showed gains in social skills knowledge following completion of lessons. IMPLICATIONS: A SSTP-WS may be beneficial for adults with WS. Future research should describe the social needs of individuals with WS at different ages and should further develop a SSTP-WS.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2017 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2017.10.008