Abstract
This study evaluated the effectiveness of a 7-month cognitive behavioral intervention for the facilitation of the social-emotional understanding and social interaction of 15 high-functioning children (8 to 17 years old) with autism. Intervention focused on teaching interpersonal problem solving, affective knowledge, and social interaction. Preintervention and postintervention measures included observations of social interaction, measures of problem solving and of emotion understanding, and teacher-rated social skills. Results demonstrated progress in three areas of intervention. Children were more likely to initiate positive social interaction with peers after treatment; in particular, they improved eye contact and their ability to share experiences with peers and to show interest in peers. In problem solving after treatment, children provided more relevant solutions and fewer nonsocial solutions to different social situations. In emotional knowledge, after treatment, children provided more examples of complex emotions, supplied more specific rather then general examples, and included an audience more often in the different emotions. Children also obtained higher teacher-rated social skills scores in assertion and cooperation after treatment. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of the effectiveness of the current model of intervention for high-functioning children with autism.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed., rev.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
Attwood, T. (1998). Asperger syndrome: A guide for parents and professionals. London: Jessica Kingsley.
Bacon, A. L., Fein, D., Morris, R., Waterhouse, L., & Allen, D. (1998). The responses of autistic children to the distress of others. Journal of Autism and Development Disorders, 28, 129–142.
Baron-Cohen, S., & Swettenham, J. (1997). Theory of mind in autism: Its relations to executive function and central coherence. In D. J. & F. R. Volkmar (Eds.), Handbook of autism and developmental disorders (pp. 880–893). New York: Wiley.
Bauminger, N., & Kasari, C. (1999). Theory of mind in high-functioning children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 29, 81–86.
Bauminger, N., & Kasari, C. (2000). Loneliness and friendship in high-functioning children with autism. Child Development, 71, 447–456.
Bauminger, N., & Shulman, C. (2001). Friendship in high-functioning children with autism: Child's and parents’ perspectives. Paper presented at the Promised Childhood Congress, April, Israel.
Bormann-Kischkel, C., Vilsmeier, M., & Baude, B. (1995). The development of emotional concept in autism. Journal of Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 36, 1243–1259.
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiment in nature and design. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1992). Ecological systems theory. In R. Vasta (Ed.), Annals of child development. Six theories of child development: Revised formulations and current issues (pp. 178–249), London: Jessica Kingsley.
Buitelaar, J. K., Van der Wees, M., Swaab-Barneveld, H., & Van der Gaag, R. J. (1999). Verbal memory and performance IQ predict theory of mind and emotion recognition ability in children with autism spectrum disorders and in psychiatric control children. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 40, 869–881.
Capps, L., Sigman, M., & Yirmiya, N. (1995). Self-competence and emotional understanding in high-functioning children with autism. Development and Psychopathology, 7, 137–149.
Capps, L., Yirmiya, N., & Sigman, M. (1992). Understanding of simple and complex emotions in non-retarded children with autism. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 33, 1169–1182.
Crick, N. R., & Dodge, K. A. (1994). A review and reformulation of social-information-processing mechanisms in children's social adjustment. Psychological Bulletin, 115, 74–101.
Dahlgren, S. O., & Trillingsgaard, A. (1996). Theory of mind in nonretarded children with autism and Asperger's syndrome: a research note. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 37, 759–763.
Frith, U. (1989). Autism: Explaining the enigma. Oxford, England: Basil Blackwell.
Gray, C. A. (1998). Social stories and comic strip conversations with students with Asperger syndrome and high-functioning autism. In E. Schopler, G, Mesibov., & Kunce, L. (Eds.), Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism (pp. 167–199). New York: Plenum Press.
Gresham, F. M., & Elliott, S. N. (1990). Social skills rating system (SSRR). Circle Pines: MN: American Guidance Service.
Hadwin, J., Baron-Cohen, S., Howlin, P., & Hill, K. (1996). Can we teach children with autism to understand emotions, belief, or pretense? Development and Psychopathology, 8, 345–365.
Hadwin, J., Baron-Cohen, S., Howlin, P., & Hill, K. (1997). Does teaching theory of mind have an effect on the ability to develop conversation in children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 27, 519–535.
Happe, F. G. E. (1994). An advanced test of theory of mind: understanding of story characters’ thoughts and feelings by able autistic, mentally handicapped, and normal children and adults. Journal of Autism and Development Disorders, 24, 129–154.
Hart, K. J., & Morgan, J. R. (1993). Cognitive behavioral therapy with children: historical context and current status. In A. J. Finch, W. M. Nelson, & E. S. Ott (Eds.), Cognitive behavior procedures with children and adolescents: A practical guide. Boston: Allyn Bacon.
Hauck, M., Fein, D., Waterhouse, L., & Feinstein, C. (1995). Social initiations by autistic children to adults and other children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 25, 579–595.
Hermelin, B., & O'Connor, N. (1985). Logico-affective states and nonverbal language. In E. Schopler, & G. B. Mesibov (Eds.), Communication problems in autism (pp. 283–309). New York: Plenum Press.
Hobson, R. P. (1993). The emotional origins of social understanding. Philosophical Psychology, 6, 227–245.
Howlin, P. (1998). Practitioner review: Psychological and educational treatments for autism. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 39, 307–322.
Jaedicke, S., Storoschuk, S., & Lord, C. (1994). Subjective experience and causes of affect in high-functioning children and adolescents with autism. Development and Psychopathology, 6, 273–284.
Kasari, C., Chamberlain, B., Paparella, T., & Bauminger, N. (1999). Self evaluative social emotions in children with autism. Poster presented at the Society of Research for Child and adolescent Psychiatry, Barcelona, Spain.
Kasari, C., Chamberlain, B., & Bauminger, N. (2001). Social emotions and social relationships in autism: can children with autism compensate? In J. Burack, T. Charman, N. Yirmiya, & P. Zelazo (Eds.), Development and autism: Perspectives from theory and research. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum Press.
Kendall, P. C., & Braswell, L. (1993). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for impulsive children (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford.
Kendall, P. C., & Panichelli-Mindel, S. (1995). Cognitive-behavioral treatments. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 23, 107–124.
Klin, A. (2000). Attributing social meaning to ambiguous visual stimuli in higher-functioning autism and Asperger syndrome: the social attribution task. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 41, 831–846.
Kunce, L. J., & Mesibov, G. B. (1998). Educational approaches to high-functioning autism and Asperger syndrome. In E. Schopler, G. B. Mesibov, & L. J. Kunce (Eds.), Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism (pp. 227–261). New York: Plenum Press.
Lochman, J. E., & Lampron, L. B. (1986). Situational social problem solving skills and self-esteem of aggressive and nonaggressive boys. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 14, 605–661.
Lord, C., & Magill-Evans, J. (1995). Peer interactions of autistic children and adolescents. Development and Psychopathology, 7, 611–626.
Lord, C., Rutter, M., & LeCouteur, A. (1994). Autism diagnostic interview-revised: a revised version of a diagnostic interview for caregivers of individuals with possible pervasive developmental disorders. Journal of Autism and Development Disorders, 19, 185–212.
Loveland, K. A., Tunali-Kotoski, B., Chen, Y. R., Ortegon, J. P. D., Brelsfrod, K. A., & Gibbs, M. C. (1997). Emotion recognition in autism: verbal and nonverbal information. Development and Psychopathology, 9, 579–593.
Margalit, M., & Weisel, A. (1990). Computer-assisted social skills learning for adolescents with mild disabilities and social difficulties. Educational Psychology, 10, 343–354.
Ozonoff, S., & Miller, J. N. (1995). Teaching theory of mind: a new approach to social skills training for individuals with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 25,415–433.
Perner, J., & Wimmer, H. (1985). “John thinks that Mary thinks that...” attribution of second-order beliefs by 5-to 10-year old children. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 39, 437–471.
Rogers, S. J. (2000). Interventions that facilitate socialization in children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 30, 399–409.
Rutter, M. (1996). Autism research: prospects and priorities. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 26, 257–275.
Seidner, L. B., Stipek, D. J., & Feshbach, N. D. (1988). A developmental analysis of elementary school-aged children's concepts of pride and embarrassment. Child Development, 59, 367–377.
Shores, R. L. (1987). Overview of research on social interaction: a historical and personal perspective. Behavioral Disorders, 12, 233–241.
Shure, M. B. (1981). Social competence as a problem-solving skill. In J. D. Wine, & M. D. Smye (Eds.), Social competence (pp. 158–185). New York: Guilford Press.
Siegel, D. J., Goldstein, G., & Minshew, N. J. (1996). Designing instruction for the high-functioning autistic individuals. Journal of Development and Psychology, 1, 1–19.
Sigman, M., & Ruskin, E. (1999). Continuity and change in the social competence of children with autism, Downs syndrome, and developmental delays. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 64 (1, Serial No. 256).
Simpson, R. L., Myles, B. S., Sasso, G. M., & Kamps, D. M. (1997). Social skills for students with autism. CEC mini library: Working with behavioral disorders, Reston, VA.
Spivack, G., & Shure, M. B. (1974). Social adjustment of young children. A cognitive approach to solving real-life problems. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Stone, W. L., & Caro-Martinez, L. M. (1990). Naturalistic observations of spontaneous communication in autistic children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 20, 437–453.
Swettenham, J. S. (1996). Can children with autism be taught to understand false belief using computers. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 37, 157–166.
Volkmar, F. R., Carter, A., Grossman, J., & Klin, A. (1997). Social development in autism. In D. J. Cohen, & F. R. Volkmar (Eds.), Handbook of autism and developmental disorders (pp. 173–194). New York: Wiley.
Wechsler, D. (1974). WISC-R manual: Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised. San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corporation.
Wing, L. (1992). Manifestation of social problems in high-functioning autistic people. In E. Schopler, & G. Mesibov (Eds.), Highfunctioning individuals with autism (pp. 129–142). New York: Plenum Press.
World Health Organization. (1990). International classification of diseases (10th ed.), Diagnostic criteria for research (draft). Geneva: Author.
Yirmiya, N., Sigman, M., Kasari, C., & Mundy, P. (1992). Empathy and cognition in high functioning children with autism. Child Development, 63, 150–165.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bauminger, N. The Facilitation of Social-Emotional Understanding and Social Interaction in High-Functioning Children with Autism: Intervention Outcomes. J Autism Dev Disord 32, 283–298 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016378718278
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016378718278