Cost Analysis of a Social Skills Training Program for Autistic Youth

Given the scarcity of resources across child-serving systems, cost analyses can provide a framework for comparing evidence-based interventions, informing resource allocation, and guiding stakeholders to invest resources. The economic impact of autism is significant. One intervention found to be efficacious is social skills training (SST); however, there are few economic studies of SSTs. This U.S. study addresses the dearth of cost analyses of SSTs in the literature. An ingredients method was used, with cost data collected through informant interviews, program budgets, and the E$timator Tool Kit . Results revealed the SST implementation cost was lower than other autism-focused Early Intensive Behavioral Interventions; families bear the largest proportion of costs; and optimizing personnel-heavy interventions like SST may be possible through high-quality, intensive training of lower wage personnel by experienced trainers who also provide ongoing support and supervision.