Anti-bullying programs can create more positive classroom environments by fostering the development of positive leaders who establish constructive norms. The social identity theory of leadership addresses stability and change within different leader profiles and identifies leader group prototypicality: the extent to which leaders are perceived to…

In the current investigation, we used a single case alternating treatments design to evaluate the effects of a robot prompter on the social interaction of three pairs of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Findings suggest that three participants produced more utterances and conversational turns when a robot prompter was present, and two…

Joint action routine (JAR) was implemented to help a 10-year-old student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) improve his social skills. The implementation of JAR involved incorporating several elements into group activities. These elements included establishing a meaningful theme for the activities, assigning simple and reciprocal roles to the…

Background: Adolescents on the autism spectrum often experience challenges participating socially in inclusive education. The majority of school-based social supports focuses on social skills training, although research shows that students on the spectrum prefer activity-based social groups over social instructions. Thus, activity-based school…

Unstructured activity periods are central components of early childhood education programs. Deficits in social communication and social interaction presented by children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) become apparent in these settings during unstructured activities, such as outdoor recess. Thirty-two preschool-age children with and without…

Individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remain underrepresented in many core classes such as mathematics and science due to common characteristics that affect social interactions, behaviors, learning abilities, and communication. According to the DSM-5-TR (2013), a deficit in social communication, social reciprocity, and…

This study evaluated the effects of using preferred activities with peer support on the social interactions of preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their typically developing peers. Two preschool-age children with ASD and six peers in an inclusive classroom participated in this study. A multiple-probe single case experimental…

Multitreatment designs were used to evaluate the relative effectiveness of multicomponent Stay, Play, Talk (SPT) interventions on peer social behaviors for two groups of children, each including one Participant With Autism Spectrum Disorder (PWA) and two socially competent peers. Children were trained to use buddy strategies during 5-min free-play…

This study analyzed the effectiveness of an elementary school Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) program during middle school transition in Portugal, and the influence of gender, classroom size and student's perception of two school climate dimensions (student-student relationships and teacher-student relationships) upon its effectiveness.…

Beyond effectiveness of the instructional model of Navigation of Social Engagement (NOSE model; Chou, 2020) to enhance problem solving skills of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), this article addresses moderating factors to provide a more in-depth secondary analysis of data within this intervention. While previous findings have…

This study examines whether public speaking and hybrid introductory communication courses contribute to whether students feel connected to one another as a result of taking the course. Results indicate that students develop stronger perceptions of homophily and connected classroom climate over time, and this growth is slightly larger in public…

All children with autism exhibit conversational speech delays to some degree, which limit their ability to interact with others in their social environment. These deficits perpetuate the tendency of children with autism to remain on the periphery of peer groups and limit their opportunities for social success (Charlop & Milstein, 1989;…

The current study evaluated the effectiveness of Superheroes Social Skills, a multimedia social skills package, in improving social responsiveness and social initiation behaviors of four elementary school children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The program was implemented in a public school setting in the southwestern United States for…

The present study provides a preliminary evaluation of the effects of the Superheroes Social Skills program, a practice-ready, multimedia social skills program, on social engagements of elementary-age children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Four children with ASD between the ages of 8 and 10 with current placements in inclusive public…

Transactional relations between children's positive social interaction skills, school engagement, and academic achievement were examined using a longitudinal panel model across the transition from preschool to first grade. Participants were Head Start children (N = 241; 49% girls, M age = 53 months, range 45-60); 78% were Mexican/Mexican-American;…