Social Skills Training for Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Meta-analysis of In-person and Technological Interventions
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Social Skills Training for Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Meta-analysis of In-person and Technological Interventions Erin E. Soares 1,2 & Kimberly Bausback 1,2 & Charlotte L. Beard 1,2 & Megan Higinbotham 1,2 & Eduard L. Bunge 1,2 & Grace W. Gengoux 3 Received: 9 September 2020 / Revised: 25 October 2020 / Accepted: 2 November 2020 # Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Abstract Social skills training (SST) for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has traditionally focused on face-to-face (F2F-SST) interventions. Recently, Behavioral Intervention Technologies (BITs-SST) have been utilized to target social skills deficits using computer-based programs, avatars, and therapeutic robots. The present meta-analysis reviews recent evidence and compares the efficacy of 14 F2F-SST and four identified BITs-SST intervention trials for youth with ASD. These preliminary analyses did not indicate significant differences between F2F-SST and BITs-SST, with effect sizes consistently in the medium to high range (g = 0.81 and g = 0.93, respectively). These findings provide initial support for the continued investigation of BITs for providing SST to youth with ASD. Keywords Autism spectrum disorder . Social skills training . Face-to-face . Behavior intervention technologies . Meta-analysis
Social skills training (SST) is one of the most common interventions to help address social deficits in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (Interactive Autism Network Research Findings 2011). Traditional SST teaches children with ASD to interact with their peers by providing face-to* Erin E. Soares [email protected] Kimberly Bausback [email protected] Charlotte L. Beard [email protected] Megan Higinbotham [email protected] Eduard L. Bunge [email protected] Grace W. Gengoux [email protected] 1
Department of Clinical Psychology at the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, Palo Alto University, Palo Alto, USA
2
Children and Adolescents Psychotherapy and Technology (CAPT), Palo Alto University, Palo Alto, USA
3
Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
face, in vivo instruction on conversation, friendship, and problem-solving skills. Programs aiming to improve social skills rely primarily on child-facilitator interaction and the need for trained facilitators is one of the primary barriers to treatment (Gordon-Lipkin et al. 2016). Novel methods of SST delivery include the use of Behavioral Intervention Technologies (BITs), technology-based interventions aimed at producing positive behavioral and psychological changes (Mohr et al. 2013) as either an adjunct to or a replacement for face-to-face interventions. Limited information is available regarding how these programs perform compared to traditional face-to-face social skills training (F2F-SST). The goal of the present research is to use meta-analytic methods to compare preliminary evidence for BITs social skills training (BITsSST) to F2F-SST. F2F-SST groups provide a structured environment to learn and practice
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