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The Importance of Socialization for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are defined by three main components/deficits. These are deficits in Communication (receptive/expressive speech and language delay), Behaviors (aka self-stimulatory behaviors or stimming) and Socialization. Communication: these individuals have difficulty with...
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Teaching Social Skills – A Key to Success
As young adults with autism transition from high school to college, work or independent living, they need to have good social skills in order to make friends, engage colleagues and succeed on many levels. When a young adult has a disability, planning ahead is particularly helpful in making a...
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Remaking Recess: A School-based Social Engagement Intervention for Children with Autism
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 68 children in the United States have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). With the rising cost of educational services for these children and fiscal challenges that school districts face, it is imperative to identify cost-effective...
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Asperger’s Skill Building Network: Practical Strategies for Transition and Change
Due to social skills deficits, the transition into life after school can be especially difficult for individuals with autism spectrum disorders, particularly those higher functioning individuals who required fewer supports in high school. With the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders increasing...
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Places for Persons with Asperger’s to Meet People
There are many places where persons with Asperger’s can meet people, but too often they don’t know where they can comfortably and satisfactorily do this. Bars, cocktail parties, and other such events work well in the neurotypical culture, but those with Asperger’s desiring to meet new friends...
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Using Media as an Effective Tool to Teach Social Skills to Adolescents and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Media is a powerful educational tool for adolescents and young adults in general; however, for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) it provides a unique opportunity to learn social skills. Popular television shows, movies, YouTube clips, and other social media sites are a vehicle to...
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Just Friends: A Father’s View of His Son’s Relationships
Social service agencies have a good read on my 16-year-old son Alex. Somewhere in the photocopied, crooked lines of one of his service plans, for instance, is the line, “Alex Stimpson doesn’t have a best friend.” Alex does make connections. He does ask for his little brother Ned, for his...
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Social Problem Solving: Best Practices for Youth with ASD
Joey, age 9, has been diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and due to his high functioning has been mainstreamed into a fourth grade classroom with a shadow. His challenging behaviors typically center on his peer interactions in spite of adequate academic performance. When in a group...
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PEERS: A Parent-Supported Evidence Based Social Skills Intervention for Adolescents with ASD
Martin is a 14-year-old boy who has recently starting expressing increased levels of anxiety, particularly about his impending transition into high school starting this fall. Martin was diagnosed with ASD as a younger child and finding a place among his peers has always been an obstacle. Although...
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Maximize Social Learning by Combining Portable Technologies and Proven Video Modeling Techniques
If you are looking for a way to bridge the social language gap to help kids with ASD, Asperger’s and other learning disabilities achieve success in social situations; interactive video modeling tops my list. This method has research-validated results, and I have seen my own clients grow by leaps...
