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Updated: Jan 30, 2026

Testing Sensory and Multisensory Function in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Published on: April 22, 2015
Group-Based Social Skills Training with Play for Children on the Autism Spectrum
Monica Chester1, Amanda L Richdale2, Jane McGillivray3
1School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood & Geelong Campuses, Geelong, VIC, Australia.
Abstract:
Despite widespread clinical use of group-based social skills training (SST) for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there remains a lack of follow-up data, generalisation effects, common definition of social skills, and teacher report data. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an 8-week SST intervention with a play component (unstructured versus semi-structured) for children with ASD across a range of social, behavioural and emotional measures. Forty-five children aged 8-12 years (M = 10.16, SD = 1.26) were assigned to one of three groups: (a) SST with unstructured play; (b) SST with semi-structured play; and (c) waitlist control. Compared to a waitlist control group, children who participated in the SST intervention showed significant gains in social skills and social competence over time.
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