Combining Self-Regulation Activities and Social Skills Training to Improve Social Competence Among Children Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Date Presented Accepted for AOTA INSPIRE 2021 but unable to be presented due to online event limitations. With the growing prevalence of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a prevailing symptom limiting their occupation is deficits in social competence. It is vital that OTs advance their use of evidence-based strategies to foster social skills development. This research examines the effectiveness of an OT group model, incorporating both self-regulation activities and social skills training to improve the social competence of children with ASD. Primary Author and Speaker: Orley Ann Templeton Additional Authors and Speakers: Lori A. Charney, Kelsey Hadsall, Randi Huffman, Robert Kennedy, Mariah Laubach, David Lutchko, Callie O'Donovan, Kristen Ritter, and Carmelina Tringali