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Group Intervention to Promote Social Skills in School-age Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders: Reconsidering Efficacy

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Abstract

A consistent result in the evaluation of group-delivered intervention to promote social reciprocity in children with PDDs is that outcome data are inconclusive. Lack of robust evidence of efficacy confounds understanding of these interventions and their value to the field. It is conceivable that the construct of impaired social reciprocity in PDD presents unique circumstances that require special consideration when evaluating the evidence base. Social reciprocity and impairment in social functioning are complex constructs, which require a multi-dimensional, multi-method approach to intervention and measurement of gains. The existing paradigm for evaluating the evidence base of intervention may need modification to permit a more intricate analysis of the extant research, and increase the sophistication of future research.

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Notes

  1. Meta-analyses of methods might yield useful information regarding variability in outcome as it is linked to specific methods for measuring intervention effects.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Fred Volkmar for his comments on this manuscript, and the participants in the Organization for Autism Research Convocation, Atlanta, 2008 for their comments as well. We thank Rebecca Pearlson for assistance with references.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, 230 South Frontage Road, P.O. Box 207900, New Haven, CT, 06520-7900, USA

    Kathleen Koenig, Domenic Cicchetti, Lawrence Scahill & Ami Klin

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA

    Andres De Los Reyes

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  1. Kathleen Koenig
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  2. Andres De Los Reyes
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  3. Domenic Cicchetti
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  4. Lawrence Scahill
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  5. Ami Klin
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Correspondence to Kathleen Koenig.

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Koenig, K., De Los Reyes, A., Cicchetti, D. et al. Group Intervention to Promote Social Skills in School-age Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders: Reconsidering Efficacy. J Autism Dev Disord 39, 1163–1172 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-009-0728-1

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