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Updated: May 14, 2026
08:42
A Familiarization Protocol Facilitates the Participation of Children with ASD in Electrophysiological Research
Published on: July 31, 2017
Improving socialization for high school students with ASD by using their preferred interests
Robert Koegel1, Sunny Kim, Lynn Koegel
1Koegel Autism Center, Graduate School of Education, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9490, USA. USA. koegel@education.ucsb.edu
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
|January 31, 2013
Summary
Incorporating special interests into activities significantly improved social engagement and peer interactions for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in high school. This intervention also proved enjoyable and generalized to similar settings.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Special Education
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Limited research exists on social interventions for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in inclusive high school settings.
- Literature suggests leveraging special interests can enhance socialization for students with ASD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effectiveness of interest-based lunchtime activities for improving social interactions among adolescents with ASD in inclusive high schools.
Main Methods:
- A multiple baseline across participants design was used.
- Lunchtime activities were implemented, incorporating adolescents' special interests and mirroring existing school activities.
- Engagement levels and initiation rates with typical peers were measured.
Main Results:
- The intervention significantly increased both the level of engagement and the rate of social initiations made by adolescents with ASD to typical peers.
- Social validation data indicated positive experiences for both adolescents with ASD and their typical peers.
Conclusions:
- Interest-based social interventions are effective for enhancing socialization in adolescents with ASD within inclusive high school environments.
- The positive outcomes and generalization to similar activities suggest a promising approach for supporting social development in this population.
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