Development of Social Interaction Skills in Preschool Children with Autism: A Review of the Literature

ABSTRACT

One characteristic of autism is inadequate social skills, including behavioral deficits and excesses. Inadequate social skills have been linked by researchers to a number of negative outcomes such as peer rejection, mental health problems and an increased high school drop-out rate. For individuals with autism, inadequate social skills arc one of many factors that can lead to institutionalization. To prevent poor outcomes, appropriate means for increasing the social interaction skills of children with autism are required. This review of the literature investigates reports of empirical research designed to increase the social interaction skills of preschool children with autism. Research to-date has generally involved the training of typically developing children to interact with children with autism; only one study was found that focused training on the child with autism.