Previous research has suggested that children diagnosed with autism have severe social deficits that require active intervention. As such, the current study investigated the effectiveness of peer and individual social skills training for a preschooler diagnosed with autism. The goal of the training was to increase the rate of reciprocal social interactions. Results indicated that the frequency of appropriate initiations and responses did increase and that these changes were socially valid (a) as measured by expert ratings of change and (b) in comparison to typical peer-to-peer social behavior. Results are discussed in terms of their applicability to classrooms serving children diagnosed with autism.
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