EBP Compendium: Summary of Systematic Review
Social Skills Interventions for Children with Asperger's Syndrome or High-Functioning Autism: A Review and Recommendations
Rao, P. A., Beidel, D. C., et al.
(2008).
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38(2), 353-361.
Indicators of Review Quality:
|
The review addresses a clearly focused question
| No |
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Criteria for inclusion of studies are provided
| Yes |
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Search strategy is described in sufficient detail for replication
| Yes |
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Included studies are assessed for study quality
| Yes |
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Quality assessments are reproducible
| Yes |
Description: This is a review examining the literature on social skills training programs (SST) for children and adolescents with Asperger’s syndrome (AS) or high functioning autism (HFA).
Question(s) Addressed:
Question not specifically stated.
Population: Children and adolescents with Asperger’s syndrome or high functioning autism.
Intervention/Assessment: Social skills training programs.
Number of Studies Included: 10
Years Included: Not stated
Findings:
Conclusions:
- Treatment
- Cognition-Language
- Pragmatics/Social Skills
- Out of the 10 studies reviewed, seven (70%) reported positive treatment effects and three of the 10 studies (30%) reported no treatment efficacy.
- "…[D]espite its widespread clinical use, empirical support for social skills training programs for children with AS/HFA is in its infancy” (p. 359). Specific efficacy of these programs “has yet to be firmly established” (p. 359).
Keywords: Autism Spectrum Disorders, Social Skills
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Added to Compendium: March 2012