Social Skills Groups with ASD Teen Boys

Joel Shaul, LCSW

The Watson Institute

Social Skills Groups:Teen Boys

Zeke

Edward

Frank

Mike

Bill

Kyle

Bill: Angry. Just wants to draw by himself. Forgets names, other details.

Frank: Unconcerned about how others perceive him. Lost in fantasies.

Mike:Tries to engage

peers with “Go Steelers.”

Speech is clumsy, repetitive.

Edward:Smart and outgoing, but can’t guess others’ thoughts. Stereotypic interests.

Zeke: Odd speech. Has never had a friend visit his house.

Kyle: Depression connected with social failures.

Teen group skills

• Conversation• Cooperation• Friendship• Emotional Regulation• Social Milestones

Conversation skills• Starting a conversation• Taking turns in conversation• Maintaining conversation of interest to

others• Beyond content: tone, volume,

gestures, distance, expression

Edward Bill Mike Zeke Kyle Frank

PLEASE LOOK TOWARDS THE OTHER KIDS, NOT JUST

THE GROUP LEADERS

How to Act Interested

Step One:

Use a friendly face

and voice

Step Two: LOOK.

Step 3: Ask a QUESTION, or make a

COMMENT about:*What the person is doing.*What the person is interested in.*How the person is feeling.

– Derived from Coucouvanis, Superskills

Capture theteachable moment

“Dude, you are the most creative kid I have ever seen.”

Coordinating With the Family

Monologues Sharing, comparing, exchanging: *Emotions

*Plans Interrogations Shared interests Shared experiences Lectures Opinions

Practicing through role plays

Example:Your grandmother just walked into the room while your favorite show is on TV. She says, ‘Excuse

me, I have something interesting to tell you.“

What can you

say to her?

How did therole play go?

1. Did the person’s facial expression match the emotion he was supposed to be portraying? Yes/No/Sort of

2. Did the person’s tone of voice match the emotion he wassupposed to be portraying? Yes/No/Sort of

3. Volume of the person’s voice: Loud/Medium/Soft

4. How much eye contact? OK/Too much/Too little

5. Did the person’s body language fit the emotion he was portraying? Yes/No/Sort of

6. Did the person interrupt? Not much/some/a lot

7. Did the person go off topic? Not much/some/a lot

8. The person talked about his/her OWN interests… OK/too much/too little 9. Did the person start the conversation in a good way? Yes/no/sort of

10. Did the person end the conversationin a good way? Yes/no/sort of

A compliment about this interview is:___________________

Keeping Conversation Connected

Cooperation

• How to ask someone to play

• How to join play with others

• Problem solving and compromising

Edward Bill Mike Zeke Kyle Frank

Combining teachingand a learning activity

Useful cooperation phrases:

*How about this idea?

*Let’s try his idea.

*There might be more than one way.

OUR WORLD

A group activity

Design a world

Together

Friendship

• Exploration of what is a friend

• Ways to initiate and maintain friendships

• Using the group as place to find friends

Edward Bill Mike Zeke Kyle Frank

A friend provides emotional If your friend feels bad,support when you feel bad. you should try to offer

emotional support.

Tell about a time when a friendoffered you emotional support

A friend provides comfort when his friend needs it.

If your friend is sad because his dog died, what are some things to say and do to help?

A friend listens

for two minutes while you talk about Yugio.

Your friend loves Barbies. To balance, how long should you listen to her talk about Barbies?

Reciprocity in Friendship

Tools to Cope With Rejection

Negative self talk:• “They will probably

reject me.”• “I always

getrejected.

What’sthe use oftrying?”

Positive self talk:• “I might get

rejected butmaybe not this time.”

• “If I don’t try, I will never succeed.”

from RDI

Approaching obstaclesto social milestones

What are some reasons you might LIKE to go to a dance?*I like girls.*I want to try new things.*Other people go to dances; why shouldn’t I?Other reasons: _________________________________

The Sleepover

Put a check mark

next to reasons you might like to sleep overat a friend’s house or have a friend sleep over at your house:

Special treats Games with a friend

Talking together

Job interviews

Emotional Regulation

• Building awareness of group members’ own unique experiences of anger and anxiety

• Teaching coping strategies uniquely suited for autistic spectrum children

The

Emotion

Thermometer

Coordination With Parents and Others

GROUP PARENTS:We are starting a unit on anger. Please take a few moments to

give us some information on how your child deals with anger.Name:_________________________________Parent’s name__________________________Email address:__________________________When and in what manner does your child get angry? What

seems to help?_____________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Special Considerations

• Therapeutic impact affected by group composition.

• Coordination with parents and others mental health professionals essential.

• Social skills training field is in state of exciting growth.