TEACHING SOCIAL SKILLS IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Abstract

Childhood is a period marked by changes and developmental leaps, and in some cases, children do not develop as expected for this stage of life. Autism Spectrum Disorder is characterized as a neurodevelopmental disorder with two main diagnostic criteria: deficits in social communication and interaction, and restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior. A limited social repertoire affects both the school learning process, since it includes learner behaviors, and participation in collective social life. One of the most widely used approaches to intervene in such cases is Applied Behavior Analysis. This article aims to review empirical studies that employed social skills training in individuals diagnosed with ASD Level 1 of support. To identify relevant results, the terms “social skill*” AND “applied behavior analysis” OR “ABA” AND “autism” OR “ASD” were used. Studies were selected based on the following inclusion criteria: (1) empirical articles; (2) addressing autism and social skills; (3) published within the last five years; (4) focused on children and adolescents; (5) written in English, Spanish, or Portuguese. Excluded were studies that (1) did not address the topic; (2) were published in other languages; (3) were theoretical studies, literature reviews, or editorials. In total, seven articles were analyzed. The results highlight the applicability of technologies as teaching tools, the use of video modeling techniques, and the importance of peer involvement in teaching and generalizing social skills. These findings corroborate existing literature and offer valuable contributions for future studies and interventions. One limitation of this study is the limited number of articles found, which reduces the generalizability of the results. Further research in this area is recommended to identify additional potential findings.