Research on the big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLPE) indicates that students evaluate themselves more favorably when they have high rank in low rank schools than low rank in high rank schools. Nonetheless, it remains unclear how the detrimental effects of being a little fish in a big pond might be reduced. To address this gap, we conducted two…

Preschool classrooms serve children of varying abilities, including those who may benefit from social communication intervention. Research supports the use of naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions (NDBI) to effectively increase the social communication skills of young children. Yet, little is known about preschool teachers'…

Promoting positive relationships with peers is an important support for children who exhibit social withdrawal. Children who show extreme shyness or are identified as self-isolating are at risk for developing internalizing conditions, which can also lead to poor social and academic outcomes. These children may benefit from targeted support to…

Evidence-based robotic intervention programmes for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been limited. As yet, there is insufficient evidence to inform therapists, teachers, and service providers on effectiveness of robotic intervention to enhance social development and participation of children with ASD in a real context. This study…

The current study aims to investigate the effectiveness of sensory-motor integration exercises on social skills and motor performance in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).This is a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test design and with a control group. The statistical population of this research included all children with…

The current scoping review synthesizes the literature on interventions targeting anxiety in individuals with a learning disability (LD). Specifically, the review identifies types of interventions, outcomes, and barriers to or facilitators of implementation of interventions by school staff. The available literature was analyzed using a descriptive…

Many autistic adolescents and young adults present with aggressive behaviours, which can be challenging for caregivers. The present study aimed to explore the underlying mechanisms between social communication understanding and aggressive behaviours in autistic and non-autistic adolescents, specifically the role of emotional dysregulation and its…

Aim/Purpose: This study explores the effectiveness of a virtual reality (VR) application designed to teach Theory of Mind (ToM) skills to children aged 5-6, addressing the gap in research on the use of VR for typically developing children. Background: ToM is a critical skill for social interaction and understanding others' perspectives. Despite…

Data suggest that young children may experience social emotional delays and disabilities, with both short- and long-term consequences. IDEA's early intervention and preschool special education provides one way for young children to receive support for social emotional needs; yet many children do not receive services. This study explored initial…

The Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) intervention aims to build capacity within schools to support emotional wellbeing needs. Within the current evidence base, there appears to be an under-representation of student voice. This study adopted an in-depth survey design using pre, during and post intervention semi-structured interviews, to…

Background: Interventions facilitated by caregivers have gained popularity among those caring for young children with autism. Instructing caregivers on specific techniques to foster social communication skills in their at-risk or diagnosed autistic children has the potential to alleviate concerns about their children's development. Moreover, it…

Recent discourse has identified significant issues surrounding the lack of diversity in autism-related research. However, recent efforts have called for the regular use of diversity advisory boards (DAB) in autism-related research to improve the inclusivity of underrepresented and marginalized groups included in the growing autism scholarship.…

The objective of the current study was to assess how a LEGO intervention, implemented by a grandparent and a parent at home, affected social interactions for four children (two girls, two boys; ages 6-7 years) on the autism spectrum in China. A multiple probe design across four families was used. Grandparents and parents were trained to use…

In this scoping review on 34 studies, we examined the use of immersive virtual reality (IVR) in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). IVR was mostly used in connection with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for assessment of and intervention in social skills, and in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for assessment of executive…

This study used a single-subject design to determine the effectiveness of the Cool versus Not Cool (CNC) discrimination procedure to teach social skills to three young U.S. adults with autism. The CNC procedure was administered remotely during this study. The specific social skills targeted were asking open-ended questions and responding…