A Pilot Study on the FEST Program - Friendship and Emotional Skills Training for Children on the Autism Spectrum

Overview

Journal J Autism Dev Disord

Publisher Springer

Date 2023 Aug 29

PMID 37642875

Authors

Agusta A Arnardottir

Laufey A Gudmundsdottir

Dagmar Kr Hannesdottir

Freyr Halldorsson

Helga Audardottir

Berglind Sveinbjornsdottir

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: Social skills difficulties among children on the autism spectrum can impede social, emotional, and academic development, especially with increasing age and social demands. This pilot study examined the efficacy of a 5-week skill-building program for children on the autism spectrum. Although effective social skills programs are available for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), very few programs are explicitly intended for 10-12-year-old children.

Methods: This pilot study examined the efficacy of the 9-session Friendship and Emotional Skills Training (FEST Program) for children with ASD without intellectual disability. Participants were 22 children randomly assigned to the FEST Program or a delayed intervention control group. Eleven children (boys = 8; girls = 3) received the FEST Program in two separate groups, and 11 were wait-listed for a delayed intervention. Parents, teachers, and the children answered questionnaires at baseline, post-intervention, and a 3-month follow-up.

Results: Upon completing the FEST Program (post-intervention), parents reported an increase in overall social skills (on the Social Skills Rating System - SSRS) and a reduction on the Autistic Mannerisms factor (on the Social Responsiveness Scale - SRS) compared to the control group. These changes were also maintained at the 3-month follow-up. The children's assessment also showed a significant increase in assertion (on the SSRS) post-intervention. Teachers also reported a significant reduction on the Autistic Mannerisms factor at the 3-month follow-up.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that the FEST Program shows some promising results as one possibility for supporting children with ASD and their families in everyday life.

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