VOLUME 01
ISSUE 06
Navigating the Nuances of
Social Skills
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ON THE SPECTRUM IN
ADULTHOOD
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A NEWSLETTER PROVIDING RESOURCES FOR THE
ADULT AUTISM COMMUNITY
Brought to you by the
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A MESSAGE FROM
THE DIRECTOR
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You may decide to socialize with someone new because you share a common personal or career interest, are attracted to them, or simply find them to be interesting and would like to get to know them better. How we go about breaking the ice to start and subsequently maintain a conversation, may often be a crucial marker for the potential success of the relationship. The social skills people use to foster relationships often vary and are part of what motivates us to meet people and build our social circles. For many neurotypical individuals, the universe of spoken and unspoken social skills/rules such as
proper body language,
not going into another's personal space, etc. may seem to come naturally.
However, for some adults on the autism spectrum, deficits in social skills can interfere with the development and/or maintenance of meaningful relationships with others. In this e-newsletter, we offer resources and strategies related to social skills. We hope this content will help you develop and/or understand the nuances of social skills for you or the person on the autism spectrum in your life.
Stay well,
James Maraventano, EdD, BCBA-D
Director, RCAAS-SCALE Program
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INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL SKILLS
Faris Kronfli, PhD, BCBA-D
Behavior Analyst, RCAAS-SCALE Program
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Social skills can be difficult for all individuals, not just those with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). What is considered appropriate social skills in one context (e.g., school, home) or with one individual (e.g., friend, sibling) might not be appropriate in another context (e.g., work) or with another individual (e.g., colleague). Deficits in communication,
social skills, and restricted and repetitive behaviors are all manifestations of ASD (America Psychological Association, 2013; Bishop-Fitzpatrick, Minshew, & Eack, 2013).
Intervention for social skills deficits among individuals diagnosed with ASD typically take a back seat to more dangerous behaviors, such as aggression and self-injury, due to the immediate risk of harm they pose. However, failure to develop and maintain culturally appropriate social skills can cause delayed, perhaps, less conspicuous problems in an individual’s life.
These include, but are not limited to, difficulty developing relationships with peers (Travis & Sigman, 1998) and attaining a job (Howlin et al., 2004), which allow us the opportunity to contact reinforcement through social interactions and income.
While behavioral interventions for social skills deficits are an educational entitlement for individuals under age 21, options are limited for those who age out of the school system (Roux et al., 2015). This might contribute to why we have limited research targeting adults diagnosed with ASD and, more specifically, limited research identifying conversational skill deficits.
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TEACHING SOCIAL SKILLS
Brianna Boragi, Master of Applied Psychology (MAP)
Behavior Technician, RCAAS-SCALE Program
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Now that we have a better understanding of how dynamic social skills can be, it’s important to think about how we can learn and/or teach them. Just as there are several methods for assessing needed social skills, there are several instructional strategies for teaching/learning them. Here are a few teaching strategies that may work for you:
- Role-Play: with role-play, the skill is practiced with a communicative partner while specific feedback is provided during or after the interaction.
- Modeling: When modeling a target skill, provide a clear example of the expectation. This model can either be in-person or through use of a video. YouTube offers access to countless video clips that could be used as video models. For example, this video teaches the viewer how to engage in eye contact and why it’s important to do so. If you can’t find exactly what you want, make a video of yourself performing the target skill! Qi et al. (2018) determined video modeling an evidence-based practice for improving social skills among individuals on the autism spectrum.
- Feedback: Offering routine feedback with the aid of a checklist can be a reminder for things like ‘eye contact’ and ‘staying on topic’ (i.e., unspoken and non-vocal social skills).
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ASSESSING SOCIAL SKILLS AT HOME
Jacqueline Shinall, MS
Clinical PsyD Student-GSAPP
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While respecting social distancing guidelines resulting from COVID-19, assessing social skills in adults on the autism spectrum can be particularly difficult. This is due to the unfortunate and significant reduction of social interactions available to us all. Necessary social skills, obviously, change from childhood to adulthood. Specifically, adults on the autism spectrum may require social skills training relevant to the workplace, such as building and maintaining different types relationships (e.g., colleagues, bosses, romantic relationships, etc.). This amplifies the importance of considering how assessing social skills must evolve with the individual on the autism spectrum as they age.
The Social Skills Checklist (Secondary) is a quick and easy tool for assessing the different areas under which social skills may be impacted. The checklist is divided into 5 categories, which allows you to pinpoint specific social skills that may require additional support. Some of the areas evaluated in this assessment include:
- Conversational skills (e.g., introduces self, asks appropriate questions)
- Problem solving (e.g., seeks help, identifies problems)
- Understanding emotions (e.g., emotions of self and others, body language, tone of voice)
- Compliments (e.g., gives/takes compliments, says, "thank you," apologizes when appropriate)
- Flexibility (e.g., accepts unexpected change, accepts mistakes without becoming angry)
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SKILLS IN THE WORKPLACE
Courtney Butler, MS, BCBA
Program Coordinator, RCAAS-College Support Program
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The workplace offers more than the opportunity to earn an income. It offers many opportunities to develop relationships with others who might share similar interests, providing individuals with access to additional, rewarding experiences they might not otherwise contact. For some individuals on the autism spectrum, these opportunities might be more difficult to acquire. Adults on the autism spectrum may have difficulty gaining meaningful employment due to noticeable social impairments (Gerhardt et al., 2006). Further, the employment rate for adults on the autism spectrum continues to remain significantly low regardless of their intellectual and vocational abilities (Wehman et. al., 2014). According to
Autism Speaks
, global data estimates approximately 85% of adults on the autism spectrum are either unemployed or underemployed. If an individual is able to gain employment, it is important to maintain appropriate work behavior, especially in a vocational placement with a social work culture, which may be a cause for concern.
Although social deficits may be present, adults on the autism spectrum are protected from discrimination in employment under several federal laws. To see a simple, clearly defined list of employment rights, click
here. For additional tools and resources related to employment, you may download the free
Autism Speaks Employment Tool Kit.
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Another
topical article can be found in
Autism Spectrum News. It discusses strategies to strengthen communication for adults on the autism spectrum.
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This program, developed at
UCLA, is a 16-week, evidence-based social skills intervention for individuals who are interested in learning skills to make and keep friends and develop romantic relationships. Check out
the PSC flyer for more information.
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Putting Your Skills to the Test
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Do you have trouble making and keeping friends, feel uncomfortable around new acquaintances, or have difficulty getting along with colleagues? Taking a skills assessment test may be beneficial for improving your social skills.
This quick
social skills test by
Psychology Today offers a free summary evaluation of your social skills.
How-To-Study also offers a similar
social skills assessment. This five-minute test allows you to learn more about your social skills and provides recommendations on what to do if they need improvement.
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It is important to stay connected during this time of social isolation.
The National Autistic Society, based out of the United Kingdom,
offers a
pen pal system
where adults on the spectrum can keep in touch with each other through email.
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"The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand
and be understood.
The best way to understand people is to listen to them."
- Ralph G. Nichols
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A global pandemic can’t keep the new RCAAS Community Center down. In fact, it continues to go vertical! Check out these pictures reflecting our latest construction progress.
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NEWSLETTER TEAM
Dr. James Maraventano, Editor-in-Chief
Rugved Deshpande, Circulation Manager
Kim Spinelli, Senior Copy Editor
Jennifer Santos, Layout & Design
Norna Jules, Resources
Contributor
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WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS ISSUE OF THE RCAAS E-NEWSLETTER
AND FOUND IT USEFUL. PLEASE DON’T HESITATE TO SEND
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