Online social skills training using speech activities for adults with autism spectrum disorder or traits: an exploratory pilot study

Purpose For people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or ASD traits, it is known to be difficult to take turns in conversation and maintain relationships. To address this, the authors provide online Social Skills Training (SST), a type of interpersonal skills training, to adults with ASD who have difficulty communicating. The SST program includes listening to individual goals and a speech activity where participants share their personal experiences with adolescents. This study aims to explore changes in communication skills, self-esteem and progress toward individual communication goals associated with participation in this online SST. Design/methodology/approach Participants included five men diagnosed with ASD or showing tendencies of the condition. They completed social skills and self-esteem scales before and after the intervention. Individual goal performance was assessed at three points: pre-, mid- and postintervention. An open-ended questionnaire was administered during the final session to explore the reasons behind participants’ self-assessments. Findings This online SST program suggested no change in self-esteem, but improvements in self-control and the regulation of interpersonal relationships. Goal performance improved between the initial and interim evaluations but declined by the final evaluation. According to participants open-ended responses, this decline may not indicate reduced effectiveness but rather reflect increased motivation and a heightened awareness of areas that still require improvement. Originality/value These findings suggest that SST using speech activities that convey personal experiences can be effective in improving self-control and the regulation of interpersonal relationships. Therefore, this intervention may be considered an effective approach to communication training in clinical contexts.