Effectiveness of social skills training interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder
Fatimah Saeed AlAhmari, Abdulhadi A Alhabbad, Hussain Al-Shamrani, Mohammed Almuqbil
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To evaluatethe effectiveness of social skills training (SST) interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out to identify relevant studies published between 2000-2023. The study was conductedin accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Studies were included if they met the following criteria: randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-RCTs, participants were children with ASD aged 3-18 years, SST interventions were delivered individually or in groups, and social skills were assessed using standardized measures. Effect sizes were calculated using Cohen's d, and meta-analyses were carried out using a random-effects model. RESULTS: A total of 17 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The overall effect size for SST interventions was 0.28-0.60 (95% confidence interval: [0.23-0.41]), indicating a small to moderate effect. Social skills training interventions were effective in improving a range of social skills, including social communication, reciprocity, and joint attention. CONCLUSION: .