An Emotional Skills Intervention for Elementary Children with Autism in China: A Pilot Study

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the effects of an emotional skills intervention on behavioral and emotional competence, as well as on communication for children with autism in China. Eight children (seven boys and one girl), aged 7 to 8, participated in this study. We used a pre and posttest group design. The intervention consisted of 10 group sessions and four individual sessions. Each group session had two or three children. The intervention curriculum consisted of emotion recognition, emotion recognition within context, self-expression of emotions, seeking help when encountering problems, and techniques for emotion regulation. Results indicated that the intervention significantly improved children’s emotional skills, behavioral and emotional competence, and communication. The potential implications of this study for elementary children with autism in China are also discussed.