Social skills deficits are a central feature of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This meta-analysis of 55 single-subject design studies examined the effectiveness of school-based social skills interventions for children and adolescents with ASD. Intervention, maintenance, and generalization effects were measured by computing the percentage of non-overlapping data points. The results suggest that social skills interventions have been minimally effective for children with ASD. Specific participant, setting, and procedural features that lead to the most effective intervention outcomes are highlighted, and implications for school personnel are discussed. Finally, the results are compared to the outcomes of similar meta-analyses involving social skills interventions with other populations of children.

This review examines how recommended practices for toddlers with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are integrated into interventions in the first generation of research targeting toddlers with ASD. The purpose was not to review intervention effectiveness, which is addressed in other reviews; rather, it was to assess reported intervention methods in relation to principles distilled from early intervention policy and validated practice guidelines for toddlers and families. These principles include family-centered and family-supportive practice, natural environments, promotion of active child participation in learning, and functional and systematic practices that consider developmental readiness and unique variations in learning. A small minority of reported interventions (5 of 27) fully addressed each principle, revealing a substantial gap between principles and intervention research practices. The most pronounced gaps concerned natural/inclusive environments and family-centered/family-supportive practices. Recommendations for future research are presented.