Autistic individuals have significant social-communication challenges that commonly persist into adulthood and impact academic, social, and vocational pursuits. More than two decades of research have established video behavior modeling as a successful, cost-effective, and time-efficient intervention tool for autistic children; however, less…

Associations between congenital deafness or blindness and autism have been found. The main consequences of congenital sensory impairment, being barriers for communication, language and social interaction development, may lead to symptoms of autism. To date only few studies have been reported concerning individuals with congenital deafblindness.…

Children with complex and severe communication impairments often cannot meet their communication needs with their natural voice and may require the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). There are many communication and learning challenges facing children who use AAC; however, using AAC for social communication is especially…

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by notable phenotypic heterogeneity, which is often viewed as an obstacle to the study of its etiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. On the basis of empirical evidence, instead of three binary categories, the upcoming edition of the DSM 5 will use two dimensions--social…

This systematic review sought to understand the individual characteristics of incarcerated youth within the major risk factor domains identified by the U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). A comprehensive search of the literature from 1979 to 2013 identified 85 articles of individual-level risk characteristics that…

This study assessed parents' first concerns about their autistic child. This information was categorized so that it could help healthcare professionals improve early detection of autism. We designed a questionnaire using an open-ended format, and 459 questionnaires were completed by parents to assess difficulties encountered in obtaining a…

Examined frequency of verbal attention-seeking responses (VASRs) as an indication of level of social confidence. Veteran drug addicts received communication skills and assertiveness training. Comparison of VASRs indicated communication training was effective in improving social confidence. (RC)

A prior study entitled the Program for Relationship Improvement by Maximizing Empathy and Self-Disclosure demonstrated its efficacy in improving the relationship between dating couples. The present study showed that the experimental group, compared to the control group, also improved significantly on two key Carkhufff behavior rating scales.…

This article discusses the differences between individuals with Asperger syndrome and gifted individuals. It describes the characteristics of students with Asperger syndrome, including highly literal speech, intensive focus, difficulties in social behavior, and inability to mind read. Characteristics of gifted students with Asperger syndrome are…

This article provides a review of the literature regarding changing communication profiles of individuals with autism as they reach adolescence and young adulthood. The impact of these language patterns on social and vocational functioning is addressed. Guidelines for assessment, goal development, and intervention are presented through a…

This paper examines the essential skill components involved in interpersonal competence and the relationship between a deficit of such skills and loneliness. The various sections of the paper discuss the nature of loneliness, the nature of interpersonal competence, the causes of competence and incompetence, and the relationship between the…

This report describes a project dealing with the development and implementation of a model for training the interpersonal aspect of competence. The project had four purposes for the student participants: (a) increase the interpersonal competence of students who previously exhibited deficiencies in interpersonal relations; (b) lessen the…

This paper, by reporting on research literature published from 1980 to 1992, attempts to identify the origins of interpersonal and social skill deficits of adolescents and young adults with visible physical disabilities, either congenital or acquired during very early childhood. The paper examines the nature of interpersonal and social skills and…

Research on the peer relationship problems of learning disabled (LD) children is summarized, highlighting methodological shortcomings and drawing implications for social intervention. Noted are tendencies of LD children to be frequently off task, to have more negative interactions with teachers and peers, and to be conversationally less assertive.…

Examined effects of problem-solving training on acquisition of interpersonal problem-solving skills by kindergartners. Consisted of pretesting, training, and post-testing activities. Showed that problem-solving training was effective in helping children acquire interpersonal problem-solving skills, specifically an increase in solutions generated…