Individuals with high functioning autism (HFA) or Asperger Syndrome (AS) exhibit difficulties in the knowledge or correct performance of social skills. This subgroup's social difficulties appear to be associated with deficits in three social cognition processes: theory of mind, emotion recognition and executive functioning. The current study outlines the development and initial administration of the group-based Social Competence Intervention (SCI), which targeted these deficits using cognitive behavioral principles. Across 27 students age 11-14 with a HFA/AS diagnosis, results indicated significant improvement on parent reports of social skills and executive functioning. Participants evidenced significant growth on direct assessments measuring facial expression recognition, theory of mind and problem solving. SCI appears promising, however, larger samples and application in naturalistic settings are warranted.

Benefits of parent education have been demonstrated for decades. However, there exists a lack of formative evaluation of parent education for parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), limiting the interpretation of ongoing and future research. To understand the current status, key characteristics, and evaluation methods of parent education specific to ASD, relevant research was reviewed with an emphasis on presentation format, evaluation methods, and participant demographics. Of the 30 articles that met inclusion criteria, more than half included descriptions of programs for parents of children with ASD ages 3-5 years, 76% involved a one-on-one training approach, 40% relied on a manual or curriculum, 86% included data on parent and child outcomes, and 70% used single-case designs to evaluate program effectiveness. None of the researchers reported data on fidelity of implementation. Suggestions for further evaluation and next-generation research are provided.

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