There has been a recent increase in research on social skills interventions for young adults on the autism spectrum. However, little is known about how autistic adults inform the design and measurement of these interventions. In this systematic literature review, 26 studies published over the past 20 + years were examined following a comprehensive…

Females with autism have unique socialization profiles, but less is known about sex/gender differences in the context of socialization interventions. This study utilized a combination of behavioral and survey measures to examine sex/gender differences in 32 autistic adolescents (10 females, 22 males) before and after participation in the 20-week…

Purpose: The present study aimed to investigate the perceptions of academic administrators of the characteristics and strategies of a boundary-spanner leader. Design/methodology/approach: For this purpose, the authors adopted a qualitative approach and a descriptive phenomenology method. The participants of the study consisted of academic…

Camouflaging refers to strategies used by autistic people to mask or hide social difficulties. The current study draws on Social Identity Theory to examine the relationship between camouflaging and autism-related stigma, testing the hypothesis that camouflaging represents an individualistic strategy in response to stigma. Two hundred and…

Autistic children tend to show divergent social information processing, and controversies exist regarding the mechanisms underlying this processing. In this article, we summarize and categorize the current theories and evidence related to hypo- and hyperarousal accounts of social information processing in autism. The hypo-arousal account proposes…

Assessment practitioners in higher education follow a variety of paths to their roles. Diverse preparation supports creative problem-solving in a changing educational landscape. However, it can also lead to inconsistency in language, preparation, and background knowledge. Further, the chasms between assessment practitioners' paths can lead to…

Purpose: Grounded in occupational socialization theory, the purpose of this study was to test a conceptual framework for understanding the role of emotional intelligence and resilience in the development of perceived mattering among U.S. physical education teacher education faculty using structural equation modeling. Method: The sample included…

Teacher-student rapport has been discussed in previous research, but the communicative behaviors that foster it have yet to be identified. The current study looked at several teacher communicative behaviors to determine which are the best predictors of rapport building. The results suggest that students feel rapport is most influenced by a…

This article presents the culmination of the first author's experience of work at a Deaf Education Centre in Aotearoa New Zealand, alongside the themes stemming from a literature review on wellbeing and the development and maintenance of social and emotional skills for deaf students in both mainstream and special education. The predominant themes…

Pretend play is one of the most beneficial and complex forms of play that promotes a myriad of children's development. Children's engagement in pretend play can be influenced by their genders, age, material or toys available, and adults' support. Pretend play has been long studied globally, however, there is still a dearth of available information…

Parent involvement in social skills training programs for autistic children has been associated with improvement in child and family functioning. However, limited research has explored parents' treatment experiences, which may elucidate key therapeutic elements mediating long-term maintenance of outcomes. This study examines parent perspectives on…

Purpose: Instructional leadership is a school leadership approach that places great emphasis on enhancing the quality of teaching and learning. This study explored the enabling factors of instructional leadership in subject coordinators. Design/methodology/approach: The participants in this qualitative study were 24 subject coordinators in…

People with intellectual disability (ID) generally tend to have difficulties expressing their thoughts and feelings verbally. Art-based therapies rely less on cognitive ability and verbal skills and aim to promote mental health. Drama therapy provides a playful framework to communicate problematic issues and to foster social skills.…

While improving ability to communicate effectively is a given for developing student leadership potential, there are very few systematic frameworks to guide communication skill improvement. Using a model of emotional and social skills derived from research in interpersonal and emotional/nonverbal communication, tools and strategies for both…

This research draws upon a qualitative intrinsic case study methodology to gather perceptions of 15 school leaders in the province of Alberta, Canada, around social and emotional competencies in relation to their own leadership, school culture, and student learning. The premise behind this study is that school leaders who are socially and…