Brief Report: Use of Superheroes Social Skills to Promote Accurate Social Skill Use in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Authors

Keith C. Radley, University of Southern MississippiFollow
W. Blake Ford, University of Southern MississippiFollow
Melissa B. McHugh, University of Southern MississippiFollow
Komila Dadakhodjaeva, University of Southern Mississippi
Roderick D. O’Handley, University of Southern Mississippi
Allison A. Battaglia, University of Southern MississippiFollow
John D.K. Lum, University of Southern MississippiFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-1-2015

School

Psychology

Abstract

The current study evaluated the use of Superheroes Social Skills to promote accurate use of discrete social skills in training and generalization conditions in two children with autism spectrum disorder. Participants attended a twice weekly social skills training group over 5 weeks, with lessons targeting nonverbal, requesting, responding, and conversation skills. A multiple probe across social skills design, replicated across participants, was utilized to assess the effects of participation of the intervention on skill accuracy. Following introduction of the intervention, participants demonstrated abrupt improvements in skill accuracy in both training and generalization conditions. Additionally, parental reports of participant social functioning indicated improvements following participation in the intervention. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

Publication Title

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

Volume

45

Issue

9

First Page

3048

Last Page

3054

Recommended Citation

Radley, K., Ford, W., McHugh, M., Dadakhodjaeva, K., O’Handley, R., Battaglia, A., Lum, J. (2015). Brief Report: Use of Superheroes Social Skills to Promote Accurate Social Skill Use in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(9), 3048-3054.
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/18565