How can group programs support children with autism and social communication delays to develop social skills?
Social skills groups can be an effective part of an intervention plan for children with autism and other social difficulties, providing a unique opportunity to learn and practice social skills with peers in a safe and secure environment. The use of group programs to teach social skills to children and adolescents with autism has been widely accepted as an intervention for many years and is considered evidence-based practice.
What the evidence does tell us is that children who attend social skills groups often demonstrate improvements in social skills in a number of areas including increased social awareness, improved social communication, increased incidences of initiating social interaction with peers, and improved social problem solving.