title: A Group-Administered social Skills Training for 8- to 12- Year-Old, high-Functioning Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Evaluation of its Effectiveness in a Naturalistic Outpatient Treatment Setting.
abstract: A social skills training (SST) for high-functioning children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) was evaluated in an outpatient setting using a combined between- and within-subject design in which SST and a waiting list condition were compared. According to parents and teachers, the SST produced greater improvement of social skills than the waiting list, and these effects were maintained at 3 months follow-up. No between-group effects were found for loneliness, although in general scores on this outcome measure decreased from pre- to follow-up. The effects of SST were unaffected by social anxiety, ADHD symptoms, Theory of Mind, or desire for social interaction. Altogether, SST seems an effective intervention for high-functioning children with ASD that can be applied in daily clinical practice.
authors: Virenze RIAGG Maastricht (Child and Youth Care) and Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Postbox 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands. anne.deckers@maastrichtuniversity.nl.
authors: Anne
authors: 0000-0001-9256-2120
authors: A
authors: Deckers
authors: Virenze RIAGG Maastricht (Child and Youth Care) and Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Postbox 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Muris
authors: Virenze RIAGG Maastricht (Child and Youth Care) and Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Postbox 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors: Jeffrey
authors: J
authors: Roelofs
authors: Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Arnoud
authors: A
authors: Arntz
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care; D020817:Asperger Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003155:Community Mental Health Centers; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D008132:Loneliness / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D066107:Social Skills
keywords: Autism spectrum disorders; Children; Social skills