The effects of theory-of-mind and social skill training on the social competence of a sixth-grade student with autism

The authors investigated the effects of a theory-of-mind (ToM) and social skill training program on the ToM assessments and social interactions of a sixth-grade high-functioning student with autism. A multiple probe design across behaviors and settings was conducted to evaluate the training program on the participant's learning outcomes. The results showed a functional relationship between the intervention and the participant's skill mastery. Specifically, the participant's appropriate social interactions increased substantially across time and settings with similar improvements in the ToM test scores. The participant's teachers, mother, and peers responded positively to the intervention, indicating their acceptance of the training procedures and outcomes.