Brief Report: Use of Superheroes Social Skills to Promote Accurate Social Skill Use in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Two kids with autism joined a superhero club. They met twice a week for five weeks. Each meeting lasted about 50 minutes.

The club used the Superheroes Social Skills curriculum. Kids practiced greeting, sharing, and asking to play. They earned stickers and high-fives for correct responses.

Researchers counted correct social acts during recess. They started teaching only after baseline stayed flat for five days.

Both kids jumped from 0-20 % correct to 80-100 % correct right after the club started.

The skills lasted during recess with new kids and toys. Parents also saw the gains at home.

Abney et al. (2026) later squeezed the same superhero lessons into 20-minute weekly slots. All five preschoolers still learned the skills. This shows you can run shorter sessions and still win.

Bermúdez et al. (2020) tried BST with short videos instead of live games. Superhero, adult, or peer videos worked the same. Together these studies say the hero theme helps, but the active BST steps matter most.

Gilmore et al. (2022) looked at the group studies with older kids. They found moderate gains in social knowledge but weak effects on real-life play. Our 2015 study adds early proof that, with careful teaching, young kids can show real recess gains too.

You can run a fun, five-week superhero club and see big, lasting social gains. Use stickers, capes, and clear steps. Keep sessions short if time is tight. Track recess data to be sure skills travel beyond the room.