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Outcomes of a practical approach for improving conversation skills in adults with autism
Author(s) -
Custer Taylor N.,
Stiehl Christie M.,
Lerman Dorothea C.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of applied behavior analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1938-3703
pISSN - 0021-8855
DOI - 10.1002/jaba.752
Subject(s) - conversation , autism , psychology , autism spectrum disorder , psychological intervention , social skills , generalization , peer group , dreyfus model of skill acquisition , developmental psychology , applied psychology , communication , psychiatry , mathematical analysis , mathematics , economics , economic growth
Many individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have deficits in conversation skills that can interfere with the development of personal and professional relationships. Further research is needed on efficient interventions for targeting conversation skills in adults with ASD and for evaluating the social validity of the outcomes. In this study, 2 practitioners implemented a 4‐week training program for 5 adults with ASD that combined individualized computer‐based instruction (CBI) and practice with peers to promote the acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of conversation skills. Training was associated with improvements in 12 of 13 skills across participants. These findings, along with peer ratings of the participants' conversation skills, suggest that this model is a promising, socially valid approach for improving conversation skills in adults with ASD.