Group social skills interventions for adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders: A systematic review.
Group social-skills classes for high-functioning adults with autism show early promise but need more proof.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Spain et al. (2015) hunted for every paper that tested group social-skills classes for adults with high-functioning autism. They found only five small studies. No meta-analysis was possible, so they simply described what each study tried and saw.
The review asked: do these classes help social thinking, real-life social contact, or mental health?
What they found
The evidence was thin. Each study hinted at small gains in social cognition or lower loneliness, but samples were tiny and none had strong controls. The team called the benefit 'tentative.'
In short, the idea looked promising, yet no one could say it worked for sure.
How this fits with other research
Sasson et al. (2022) later pooled the same type of studies and found 'large' parent-reported gains. Their meta-analysis added more data and replaced the 2015 'maybe' with measurable effect, so J et al. supersedes Debbie et al.
Leung et al. (2019) and Bonete et al. (2015) give real-world examples. One tested a Chinese culture-friendly group, the other taught workplace problem-solving. Both saw positive changes, showing the concept can move from 'tentative' to 'testable.'
Porter et al. (2008) warned that social-skills training for kids lacked solid proof. Debbie et al. echoed the worry for adults, proving the evidence gap has lingered across age groups.
Why it matters
If you run or refer adults to social-skills groups, know the practice is still emerging. Use clear data sheets, track social initiations or loneliness ratings each session, and share results. Your data could join the next review and tip the scale from 'tentative' to 'proven.'
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Autism spectrum disorders are characterised by impairments in communication and social interaction. Social skills interventions have been found to ameliorate socio-communication deficits in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Little is known about the effectiveness of social skills interventions for adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (hf-ASD) - a clinical population who can present with more subtle core deficits, but comparable levels of impairment and secondary difficulties. A systematic review was undertaken to investigate the effectiveness of social skills interventions for adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders. Five studies met the pre-specified review inclusion criteria: two quasi-experimental comparative trials and three single-arm interventions. There was a degree of variation in the structure, duration and content of the social skills interventions delivered, as well as several methodological limitations associated with included studies. Nevertheless, narrative analysis tentatively indicates that group social skills interventions may be effective for enhancing social knowledge and understanding, improving social functioning, reducing loneliness and potentially alleviating co-morbid psychiatric symptoms.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 2015 · doi:10.1177/1362361315587659