Published Research on Social Thinking

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

Brief Report: Measuring the Effectiveness of Teaching Social Thinking to Children with Asperger Syndrome (AS) and High Functioning Autism (HFA)

Pamela J. Crooke, Ryan E. Hendrix, Janine Y. Rachman

© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2008

Abstract: This is the first report from a large multiple baseline single-subject design study of children with Aut­ism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). This brief report examines effectiveness of teaching a social cognitive (Social Thinking) approach to six males with Asperger syndrome (AS) or High Functioning Autism (HFA). Data included are restricted to pre-post-treatment comparisons of verbal and non-verbal social behaviors. Structured treatment and semi-structured generalization sessions occurred over eight weeks. Results indicated significant changes from pre- to post- measures on both verbal/nonverbal ‘‘expected'' and ‘‘unexpected'' behaviors, significant increases in the subcat­egories of ‘‘expected verbal'', ‘‘listening/thinking with eyes'', and ‘‘initiations'', and robust decreases in the subcategories of ‘‘unexpected-verbal'' and ‘‘unexpected-nonverbal''. Impor­tance of social cognitive approaches for children AS and HFA is discussed.

P. J. Crooke, R. E. Hendrix, J. Y. Rachman
Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA

Present Address:
P. J. Crooke
Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences
San Jose State University
One Washington Square SH115
San Jose, CA 95192-0079, USA
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Present Address:
R. E. Hendrix
Teach SOCIAL Silicon Valley
San Jose, CA, USA

Present Address:
J. Y. Rachman
Stone Oak Therapy Services and Learning Institute
San Antonio, TX, USA

Keywords: Asperger syndrome; High functioning autism; Social cognition; Social skills; Social thinking

Download the complete research paper:

pdf_iconPublished Journal of Aut and Dev Disorders on Social Thinking

 












Hong Kong Journal of Mental Health (2009, 35, 10-17)
© The Mental Health Association of Hong Kong 2009

A Case Series of Social Thinking Training of Mainstreamed
Secondary School Students with High-Functioning Autism
(click to download PDF)

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