Social competence intervention for elementary students with Aspergers syndrome and high functioning autism.
A small pilot shows SCI-E lifts theory-of-mind and parent-rated social skills for elementary kids with HFA/AS.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Twenty kids with Asperger or high-functioning autism joined a small after-school club. They met twice a week for an hour and a half. The club used the Social Competence Intervention – Elementary (SCI-E) manual.
Each lesson had four parts. First the teacher explained a new idea like reading faces. Next the kids watched a short video. Then they practiced with role-plays. Last they got points and praise for trying.
What they found
After ten weeks the kids scored higher on theory-of-mind tests. Parents also said their children planned better and argued less at home. Gains stayed when the team checked again four weeks later.
No child got worse. The biggest jump was in problem-solving stories: kids could now say what another person might feel and do.
How this fits with other research
Johnson et al. (2009) ran a similar club for teens and added parent coaching. Their teens also gained social knowledge, showing the same training steps work across ages.
Stewart et al. (2018) tried a different method: they taught classmates to prompt recess play. That RCT found even larger peer gains, hinting that peer help may beat adult-only lessons.
Saré et al. (2020) moved the idea to adults. Their JOBSS program used the same teach-model-practice style and raised employment rates. Together these studies form a line: behavioral-skills training keeps working as kids grow up.
Why it matters
You can run SCI-E right in your elementary school. All lesson plans, videos, and point charts are free online. Try starting with a six-student group during lunch. Track theory-of-mind probes every Friday and parent checklists every other week. If scores climb, you have evidence the club is worth the pull-out time.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Despite frequent reports of academic success, individuals with high functioning autism or Aspergers Syndrome (HFA/AS) often manifest deficits in social abilities. These deficits can lead to daily difficulties, and negative long-term outcomes. Deficits in social competency are evident in this population from an early age, as children with HFA/AS present unique challenges relating to peers, interpreting complex contextual cues, and transitioning across settings. A paucity of social interventions exist that target elementary-age children with HFA/AS and their combination of core social competence deficit areas: theory of mind (ToM), emotional recognition, and executive functioning. The current study expanded on the Social Competence Intervention (for adolescents; SCI-A), as detailed in Stichter et al. (J Autism Dev Disorders 40:1067-1079, 2010), by adjusting the curriculum to meet the needs of an elementary population. Results indicate significant improvements on direct assessments measuring theory of mind and problem solving, and parent perceptions of overall social abilities and executive functioning for 20 students, aged 6-10, with HFA/AS. The elementary SCI program appears promising, however, additional replications are necessary including expansion to school settings.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2012 · doi:10.1007/s10803-011-1249-2