A systematic review of school-based social skills interventions and observed social outcomes for students with autism spectrum disorder in inclusive settings

This review examined school-based social skills interventions for students with autism spectrum disorder who were educated in inclusive school settings. Secondary aims sought to explore observation protocols and the resulting social outcomes used to measure the social behaviors of students with autism spectrum disorder within authentic social environments at school. To meet the inclusion criteria, 18 studies (a) tested school-based social skills interventions for students with autism spectrum disorder who were educated in inclusive settings; (b) included typically developing peers to some degree within the intervention condition; (c) used naturalistic observation protocols; and (d) scored “strong” or “adequate” for group design, or “high quality” or “acceptable” for single-case design on methodological rating scales. Interventions were largely rooted in evidence-based practices, but were varied in terms of type, dose, and duration, and the extent to which typically developing peers and school personnel were trained to participate in the intervention. Observable social outcomes were similar across studies, and salient outcomes were able to measure post-intervention change across a wide age range. The identification of the active ingredients used in school-based social skills interventions as well as the salient social outcomes provides a roadmap for school practitioners as they move to incorporate evidence-based social skills interventions into their practice. Lay abstract Most social skills interventions for students with autism spectrum disorder have been conducted in clinic-based settings. While students with autism spectrum disorder are able to acquire new skills, the generalization of these skills to authentic social environments, like school, is more difficult. To address this issue, there is an increase in research examining the implementation of social skills interventions for students with autism spectrum disorder who are educated in inclusive school settings. This review included 18 research studies that focused on school-based social interventions for students with autism spectrum disorder who were educated in inclusive school settings. Typically developing peers also participated in the interventions to varying degrees. Secondary aims explored naturalistic observation instruments and subsequent social outcomes used to record the social behaviors of students with autism spectrum disorder at school. Social intervention components varied across studies, but all studies reported improvement in the targeted social behaviors of students with autism spectrum disorder. There were many similarities in the ways in which researchers measured and defined social outcomes. Observation protocols were able to measure change in the social behaviors of students with autism spectrum disorder across a wide age range. The recognition of evidence-based practices used in school-based social skills interventions, as well as the identification of observation protocols and salient social outcomes, provides a starting point for school practitioners to consider as they move to implement social skills interventions for students with autism spectrum disorder into inclusive school settings.