The Effectiveness of Social Skills Intervention Targeting Nonverbal Communication for Adolescents With Asperger Syndrome and Related Pervasive Developmental Delays

Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness of a social skills intervention targeting nonverbal communication for 8 adolescents With Asperger syndrome (AS) and related pervasive developmental delays. The Diagnostic Analysis of Nonverbal Accuracy 2 (DANVA2; NoWicki, 1997) Was used as a pre- and posttest measure to assess participants' nonverbal language skills. During the 8-Week social skills intervention, lessons Were adapted from those presented in Teaching Your Child the Language of Social Success (Duke, NoWicki, & Martin, 1996). Training during the first 4 Weeks targeted paralanguage (deciphering varying tones of voice and rates of speech, understanding nonverbal sound patterns, and gaining meaning from others' marked emphases in speech). The remaining 4 sessions focused on identifying and responding to the facial expressions of others. The folloWing teaching strategies Were employed throughout the social skills intervention: role-playing, modeling, and reinforcement through feedback. Results are discussed relative to social groWth among participants.

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