title: Improvement in Social Competence Using a Randomized Trial of a Theatre Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
abstract: The efficacy of a peer-mediated, theatre-based intervention on social competence in participants with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was tested. Thirty 8-to-14 year-olds with ASD were randomly assigned to the treatment (n = 17) or a wait-list control (n = 13) group. Immediately after treatment, group effects were seen on social ability, (d = .77), communication symptoms (d = -.86), group play with toys in the company of peers (d = .77), immediate memory of faces as measured by neuropsychological (d = .75) and ERP methods (d = .93), delayed memory for faces (d = .98), and theory of mind (d = .99). At the 2 month follow-up period, group effects were detected on communication symptoms (d = .82). The results of this pilot clinical trial provide initial support for the efficacy of the theatre-based intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University, PMB 40, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA. blythe.corbett@vanderbilt.edu.|Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA. blythe.corbett@vanderbilt.edu.|Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA. blythe.corbett@vanderbilt.edu.
authors.forename: Blythe A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Corbett
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.|Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Alexandra P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Key
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University, PMB 40, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA.
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qualls
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University, PMB 40, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA.|Department of Psychoeducation and Psychology in Quebec, University of Quebec in Outaouais, Gatineau, Canada.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fecteau
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University, PMB 40, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA.|Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.|Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Cassandra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Newsom
authors.affiliation: University School of Nashville, Nashville, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Coke
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.|Department of Special Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yoder
mesh_terms: D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010989:Play Therapy; D066107:Social Skills
keywords: Autism; Cognition; ERP; Faces; Social competence; Theatre