Replication of the The Multi-Media Social Skills Project for Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Replication of the The Multi-Media Social Skills Project for Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Replication of the The Multi-Media Social Skills Project for Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders

The objective of this study is to validate a social skills training program manual for adolescents (ages 13-17) with Asperger's Syndrome or high functioning autism. Approximately 150 adolescents with autism spectrum disorders will participate in this study, in groups consisting of 6 adolescents and 6 peer volunteers. Participants will participate in both group therapy and peer generalization sessions (in the form of a photography class) once a week over the course of twelve weeks. Participants and their parents will complete paper and pencil, online, or phone measures and video-recordings to assess the participant's social skills prior to the intervention, at completion of the intervention and three months later.

This study is a pre-test, post-test single group design with post test measures at one week after completion of intervention and follow-up at three months. Approximately 300 adolescents will participate in this study. The study will be conducted in ten cohorts of 12. Each cohort will have 6 participants and 6 adolescent volunteers (peers). Cohorts will be run in a time sequential manner with up to four cohorts running at a time. Participants and their parents will complete pre-test measures including both paper and pencil, online, or phone measures and a video-recording to assess the participant's social interaction skills and fluency. These adolescents will participate in both group therapy and peer generalization sessions once a week over the course of twelve weeks. Upon completion of the intervention, participants and parents will complete paper and pencil, online, or phone measures and video post-test measures. Participants will be encouraged to participate in a follow-up session where the paper and pencil and video measures will be completed again.

The intervention is a 12-week social skills training program that will consist of a 90 minute group therapy session followed by a 90 minute peer generalization session (in the form of a photography class with typically developing peers) meeting once per week. Each cohort will consist of 6 adolescents with Aspergers or high-functioning autism, who will be joined by 6 typically-developing peers for the photography class. During the group therapy session adolescents will discuss and watch video clips addressing social skills topics relevant to their age group. They will have a chance to practice these skills when paired with a typically developing peer for the photography class.

Participants will be filmed in a brief interaction with a typically developing peer which will be coded to obtain social interaction skills and fluency scores.

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire is a 25 item survey that asks about positive and negative attributes.

Inclusion Criteria: Between 13 and 17 years of age Must be a Pennsylvania resident A primary diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome or high-functioning autism, as confirmed by the Checklist for Autism Spectrum Disorders (CASD; Mayes, 2012) English as primary language spoken Ability to fluently speak in full sentences A verbal IQ of 85 or above on the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test, Second Edition(KBIT-2; Kaufman & Kaufman, 1990) Exclusion Criteria: A significant language delay Difficulty with aggression directed at peers A primary thought disorder A secondary disorder of anxiety or depression so severe as to prevent the individual's participation in the treatment Low social motivation demonstrated through formalized assessment and/or by responses given to screening interviews assessing treatment goals