Social skills interventions for the autism spectrum: essential ingredients and a model curriculum

Despite the widespread recognition that social deficits are core features of autism spectrum disorders, few treatment programs for improving social adaptation have been developed. Curricula designed to practice social skills in a group setting are vital, but few are yet commercially available. This article outlines several elements the authors believe are important to successful group social skills intervention, provides specific examples translating these principles into actual practice, and includes illustrations from social skills groups conducted at the University of Utah.