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Cited by 192Autism Spectrum Disorder ResearchSocial Robot Interaction and HRIBehavioral and Psychological Studies

Social Skills Training for Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Meta-analysis of In-person and Technological Interventions

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Soares, Erin E., Bausback, Kimberly, Beard, Charlotte L., Higinbotham, Megan, Bunge, Eduard L., Gengoux, Grace W.·2020·Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science
DOI 10.1007/s41347-020-00177-0PMC PMC7670840
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Abstract

Social skills training (SST) for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has traditionally focused on face-to-face (F2F-SST) interventions. Recently, Behavioral Intervention Technologies (BITs-SST) have been utilized to target social skills deficits using computer-based programs, avatars, and therapeutic robots. The present meta-analysis reviews recent evidence and compares the efficacy of 14 F2F-SST and four identified BITs-SST intervention trials for youth with ASD. These preliminary analyses did not indicate significant differences between F2F-SST and BITs-SST, with effect sizes consistently in the medium to high range (g = 0.81 and g = 0.93, respectively). These findings provide initial support for the continued investigation of BITs for providing SST to youth with ASD.

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  • Social Skills Training is established as an effective intervention for individuals with ASD, improving social competence and relationships, with meta-analyses reporting medium to high effect sizes.

    “Social Skills Training (SST) has been established as an effective intervention for individuals with ASD, addressing challenges in social interaction and communication. Research consistently supports the efficacy of SST in improving social competence and relationships for individuals with ASD, with meta-analyses reporting medium to high effect sizes for these interventions.”

    From The Impact of Social Media & Technology on Child and Adolescent Mental Health (2025) · cites this paper as [92]

    The Results (Primary Comparison; page unavailable) report significant improvements in social skills, with medium-to-large effects for face-to-face and technology-based SST. The paper also reports prior reviews finding improvements in friendship quality (Abstract; page unavailable). But calling SST unequivocally established and consistently effective overstates a review that describes its comparison as preliminary and notes critiques of the evidence base; its own analysis concerns youth aged 3–19, not all individuals with ASD. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • A meta-analysis comparing face-to-face SST and technology-based SST found no significant differences in effectiveness between the two approaches, with effect sizes consistently in the medium to high range.

    “For instance, a meta-analysis comparing face-to-face SST (F2F-SST) and technology-based interventions (BITs-SST) found no significant differences in effectiveness between the two approaches, with effect sizes consistently in the medium to high range [92].”

    From The Impact of Social Media & Technology on Child and Adolescent Mental Health (2025) · cites this paper as [92]

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Authors
Soares, E. E., Bausback, K., Beard, C. L., Higinbotham, M., Bunge, E. L., & Gengoux, G. W.
Affiliations
  • Palo Alto University (US)
  • Stanford Medicine (US)
Corresponding author
Soares, Erin E.
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2020-11-17
Volume
6
Issue
1
Pages
166-180
ISSN
2366-5963 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1007/s41347-020-00177-0
PMC
PMC7670840
OpenAlex
W3105314497
Cited by
192
References
79
Citations by year
2026: 93 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 12
FWCI
1.69
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Social Robot Interaction and HRI
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Behavioral and Psychological Studies
Keywords
social skills training, autism spectrum disorder, computer-based intervention, avatars, therapeutic robots, face-to-face intervention, social skills deficits, autistic youth, intervention efficacy

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