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In this pilot study, we assessed the effectiveness and acceptability of an educational program designed to prevent alcohol-related behaviors among high school students. The program was rooted in the Theory of Planned Behavior principles (TPB) and supplemented with life-skills teaching. A total of 352 participants were involved, representing 10 secondary schools in central Greece. Among these, 257 students (Mage: 14.51 ± 1.34 years) constituted the experimental group, while 95 were assigned to the control group. The experimental group received a 10-session program, one per week. The results revealed that the experimental group had a significant improvement on knowledge about alcohol, perceived behavioral control (PBC), and alcohol-related behavior between pre- and post-intervention measurements. Additionally, students expressed high levels of satisfaction with the program. These findings offer substantial evidence for the practicality and effectiveness of an alcohol prevention initiative that is rooted in theory and supported by life-skills education when implemented within a school environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) is a group-based social skills training program for adolescents on the autism spectrum. Although the program has been shown to be effective in improving social skills in autistic adolescents, evidence of its effectiveness from the Mandarin-speaking Chinese population is sparse. The present study used a non-randomized, pre- and post-intervention research design to investigate the feasibility and cultural validity of the program, as well as examine the moderators of intervention outcomes. Methods: Thirty-three autistic adolescents with intelligence quotient above 70 (Mage = 13.57, SDage = 1.43; Male: Female 25:8) and their parents received 14 concurrent 90-minute sessions. Adolescents' autistic traits, challenging behaviors, emotional functioning, socio-cognitive process, social environment factors (school support), and caregivers' well-being were evaluated. Results: The findings suggest that with minor adjustments, the Mandarin version of PEERS® was generally acceptable and feasible for autistic adolescents and their parents. PEERS® may improve the social skills knowledge, reciprocal communication abilities, and emotional well-being of autistic adolescents. Also, participants with a higher level of school support, and parents with lower perceived subjective well-being at baseline may gain more benefits from PEERS®. The cultural adaptation and acceptability of the Mandarin Version of PEERS® were discussed. Conclusion: This feasibility study (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR2200061417, 2022-06-23, retrospectively registered) provides a basis for further randomized control trials of the Mandarin version of PEERS®. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most studies of social robot interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder have been laboratory experiments focusing on component skills. There is insufficient evidence documenting the qualitative impact of such programmes on social development and participation of children with autism spectrum disorder. This study aimed to identify the qualitative outcomes of a robot-mediated social skills training programme for children with autism spectrum disorder, examine the impact of such programmes on children's social participation and identify the essential elements of robotic interventions that are conducive to children's social development. A case study approach with a multiple case study design was adopted. Sixteen children with autism spectrum disorder, aged 5–11 years, were included. Participants received 12 weekly sessions of robot-mediated social skills training. The successful outcomes relating to social participation were identified as enhanced verbal expression, social awareness and emotional reciprocity. The impacts of the programme on personal development were identified as enhanced self-esteem, self-confidence and emotional expression. Robot friendship, the role of the robot as a facilitator and the presence of a human instructor capable of leading the programme were identified as essential elements of the positive changes. The encounter with a social robot was regarded as meaningful and important to the children with autism spectrum disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to communication is a primary challenge affecting the education of Autistic students who use augmentative and alternative communication devices. This is compounded by potential communication partners (e.g., teachers and classroom paraeducators) who have insufficient training and skills to meaningfully engage these students in communication. To address these deficits in skills and training, this feasibility study used a multiple probe across participants design to test the effects of using behavioral skills training on dyads of teachers and paraeducators in increasing teacher-delivered opportunities to respond and student communication responses. The results show that after training, teachers' opportunities to respond and use student-specific strategies increased. Following the teachers' implementation of the strategies, students' prompted and unprompted communication increased. These results provide evidence that supports the use of behavioral skills training to support communication partner skill development and student communication needs. These methods showed positive social validity with participants and demonstrate a professional development method that is more feasible for use by school staff than individual training. The results of this study provide initial evidence of the effectiveness of these methods with dyads of participants as well as with licensed teachers, extending the extant research, which often focuses on the individual training of paraeducators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study demonstrates how formative process evaluation was used to assess implementation and improve dose and fidelity in the Together Everyone Achieves More Physical Activity (TEAM-PA) randomized controlled trial. TEAM-PA uses a randomized group cohort design to evaluate the efficacy of a group-based intervention for increasing physical activity among African American women. Methods: Intervention groups met for 10 weeks and were co-led by female African American facilitators, with intervention sessions consisting of group feedback, a health curriculum, group-based physical activity games, and group-based goal-setting. Drawing from a multi-theoretical framework, the intervention targeted social affiliation using collaborative and competitive group strategies, including essential elements focused on group-based behavioral skills, peer-to-peer positive communication, collectivism, optimal challenge, social facilitation, and peer to peer challenges. Formative process evaluation was used to monitor reach, dose, and fidelity, and implement feedback and solutions. Results: Across two cohorts, four groups (n = 54) were randomized to the TEAM-PA intervention. On average 84.8% of participants attended each week, which exceeded the a priori criteria. Results from the systematic observations indicated that on average 93% of the dose items were completed in each session and adequate levels of fidelity were achieved at both the facilitator and group-levels. Participants were compliant with wearing the FitBits (6.73 ± 0.42 days/week) and most participants successfully contributed to meeting the group-based goals. The use of open-ended items also revealed the need for additional modifications to the group-based PA games, including allowing for individuals to take breaks, incorporating a broader range of exercises, minimizing activities that required bending/reaching down without assistance, and providing facilitators with additional training for implementing the games. Initial evidence suggests that these changes were successful in increasing participants' comprehension of the games from Cohort 1 (M = 1.83, SD = 0.71) to Cohort 2 (M = 3.33, SD = 0.69). Conclusion: Findings from this study demonstrated high levels of reach, dose, and fidelity, while also highlighting strategies for implementing competitive group-based PA games that are accessible across physical fitness levels. Formative process evaluation, including open-ended items and collaborative brainstorming, holds tremendous potential for improving future interventions. Trial registration: This study was registered on Clinicaltrials.gov (# NCT05519696) on August 22, 2022 prior to the enrollment of the first participant on September 12, 2022 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05519696?term=NCT05519696&rank=1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parents are an essential element of family intervention for all children, including those with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). We can better understand and address parents' knowledge gaps about ASD through in-depth research and inquiry into parents' current level of understanding, attitude, and perception. We aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and perception of ASD and influencing factors towards ASD among a group of parents with and without a child diagnosed with ASD in Sakaka, Al-Jouf Region, Saudi Arabia. Using the cross-sectional study design, information from the parents was gathered using a pretested questionnaire that included validated scales for measuring knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions related to ASD. The required number of participants was selected using the convenience sampling method. We used Spearman's correlation test to determine the strength and direction of correlation between each domain. As a last step, we analyzed the influencing factors using binomial logistic regression. Among the 400 participants, 41.2% had high knowledge, 69.1% had a positive attitude, and 60.3% had a high perception of ASD. We found that knowledge was significantly higher among the parents with autistic individuals in the family (p = 038). The high and positive attitude was significantly greater among females (p = 0.010) and parents with high income (p = 0.007), and the perception was significantly associated with females (p = 0.037) and highly educated participants (p = 0.046). Furthermore, we found a positive correlation between knowledge, attitude, and perception. Overall, only less than half of the participants had a high knowledge of ASD. Hence, we recommend awareness-raising programs for the parents in this region. Furthermore, a prospective study involving parents from all provinces of Saudi Arabia is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autistic individuals have significant social-communication challenges that commonly persist into adulthood and impact academic, social, and vocational pursuits. More than two decades of research have established video behavior modeling as a successful, cost-effective, and time-efficient intervention tool for autistic children; however, less research has investigated the use of video modeling with autistic adults, and only a handful of studies have assessed its effects in non-vocational community-based settings. This study examines the effects of video modeling on social-communication skills of autistic adults in a U.S. community-based fitness group using a multiple-baseline single-case design with replication across participants. Additional data on visual attention, generalization, and social validity were captured. Results show variable effects across participants and provide valuable information to guide individuals in choosing effective and practical evidence-based practices to support the social-communication success of autistic adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Undergraduate majors in education, specifically in school health education (HE), have declined considerably in the United States. Reductions in state and federal funding for K‐12 public education and increased demands on educators to prioritize standardized academic outcomes versus focusing on the whole child encompass many factors leading to fewer qualified teachers and reduced quality of HE delivery within schools. METHODS: A content analysis of over 300 HE teacher preparation programs throughout the United States was conducted from 2019 to 2020 to assess available and required curriculum for pre‐service HE teachers. Seven curriculum areas were reviewed: nutrition, physical activity (PA) and physical education (PE), HE, chronic disease management (CDM), social emotional learning and mental health (SEL/MH), drug abuse and tobacco prevention (DA/TP), and a methods course in teaching HE. RESULTS: Findings indicated program type influenced course offerings, with stand‐alone HE and joint HE/PE programs providing the most comprehensive curriculum. Most programs required courses in general HE, PA and PE, and nutrition. Programs were deficient in offering courses in CDM, DA/TP, and SEL/MH. CONCLUSION: This article contains recommendations to improve the quality of HE delivery in public schools, for example by ensuring that school health educators are trained in providing skills‐based HE to youth, which can assist in addressing child and youth health outcomes (eg, CDM, mental health) for the nation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic thrust telepractice into the mainstream as a primary service delivery model. While some populations and providers were adversely impacted by this shift, there were some intervention approaches that became even more popular. Parent-mediated intervention (PMI) has been shown to be effective through both in-person and telepractice service delivery models. With PMI, caregivers learn language facilitation strategies and implement them with their child. Project SKILLS (Skills and Knowledge for Language Learning Success) is a PMI program for autistic children funded by a state-level autism grant program. The primary goal of SKILLS is training caregivers in language facilitation techniques to promote communication and language skills. It uses the Project ImPACT (Improving Parents as Communication Teachers) curriculum that is commercially available and supported by previous research. SKILLS also includes variations for neurodiversity-affirming practice and culturally and linguistically diverse families. Project SKILLS has offered both in-person and telepractice delivery since its inception in 2016, making it possible to compare results across the two modalities. Conclusions: Project SKILLS has successfully implemented PMI for autistic children through both in-person and telepractice sessions. Clinically, children have made similar gains in social communication and language regardless of the modality. Caregivers also demonstrated similar progress with intervention fidelity, with some added advantages for families participating via telepractice. Telepractice may become a preferred service delivery model of PMI, especially for families living in geographically inaccessible locations with limited access to qualified providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Businesses, government agencies, human services organizations, and academic institutions address diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in a variety of ways, including training. Yet, little scholarly attention has been paid to the empirical outcomes from DEI training. The purpose of study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a racial equity workshop implemented over five years with community stakeholders and the unique inclusion of a caucus modality that supplements the workshop by learning and practicing racial equity skills. Mixed method results suggest that workshop participants increased their knowledge of race and racism, systemic disparities, and biases. Caucus participants reflected on their values and beliefs and actively applied anti-racism and racial equity skills. Both groups indicated intent to change their behavior and caucus attendees explained how they had already begun behavior changes. With the extant literature, these research findings can assist stakeholders to implement DEI training and foster more equitable decisions and organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disability with global prevalence of one in 100 individuals. Poor access to interventions in both under‐resourced regions of high‐income countries and low‐ and middle‐income countries has deleterious effects on the health and wellbeing of individuals with autism and their families. Our objective was to utilize a reciprocal innovation framework and participatory methods to adapt and co‐develop a culturally grounded group‐based wellbeing and naturalistic developmental behavioural intervention (NDBI) training program for caregivers of young children with autism to be implemented in Kenya and rural Indiana. Methods: This study was conducted within the Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) program. An evidence‐informed Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention (NDBI) previously utilized in Indiana was adapted and iteratively refined using the Ecological Validity Framework (EVF) by a team of US and Kenyan disability experts. Key adaptations to the program were made across the EVF domains of language, persons, metaphors/content, concepts, goals, methods, and context. Results: Substantial cultural adaptations were made to the NDBI following the EVF model, including the addition of traditional Kenyan cultural practices, use of narrative principles, and focus on daily routines over play. Pepea, the adapted program, involves 10 group sessions covering content in basic education on autism, positive caregiver coping strategies, and behavioural skills training to promote child communication and reduce challenging behaviour. Key adaptations for Pepea were integrated back into a US NDBI caregiver training program. Conclusions: This study fills a critical gap by detailing the adaptation process of a caregiver wellbeing and naturalistic developmental behavioural training program for caregivers of children with autism in low‐resource settings. Our next steps are to report on mixed‐methods outcomes from pilot implementation. Our long‐term goal is to apply these insights to advance sustainable and scalable autism intervention services across the globe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manding for information is important because information is a valuable part of learning and interacting with our environment, allowing for more autonomy (i.e., access reinforcement). Despite the importance of this skill, individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often do not engage in manding for information without explicit instruction. In the current study, we coached caregivers via telehealth to teach three children with ASD to mand for information using the phrase "I don't know, please tell me" (IDKPTM). All three participants independently engaged in the IDKPTM response for information during intervention and post intervention generalization probes. The results of this study extend the findings of previous research by demonstrating caregivers coached via telehealth can teach their children to mand for more information using the "IDKPTM" phrase. Additionally, the results of this study reflect the benefits of involving caregivers to implement evidence‐based interventions while being coached through telehealth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit significant deficits in social communication and emotion regulation skills. While cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) applications appear promising, trials to date have largely excluded social communication skill development and have not been designed to include a wider range of emotional challenges. To our knowledge, the present study is the first to pilot a uniquely modified CBT program targeting emotion regulation, including social communication training, and explicitly focusing on the child's areas of circumscribed interest in order to teach skills and promote generalization. Forty participants were randomly assigned to either the CBT group or a waitlist control (WLC) group, resulting in 20 school-aged children in each group. The treatment approach was determined to be feasible and acceptable, and therapy engagement and attendance were reasonably high. Caregivers expressed high satisfaction with the program, qualitatively citing gains in skills such as social problem-solving, emotion identification, and identifying and processing cognitive distortions. The primary outcome of postintervention changes was not significantly different between the groups (CBT vs. WLC). The mean Social Skills Improvement System score decreased by 0.44 points (95% confidence interval [CI]: −5.04, 4.15) in the CBT group and increased by 0.41 points (95% CI: −4.23, 5.04) in the WLC group, and the postintervention changes were not significantly different between the groups (difference: −0.85; 95% CI: −7.29, 5.60; p =.79). The estimated rate of emotional dysregulation episodes decreased by a factor of 0.94 (95% CI: 0.57, 1.56) in the CBT group and increased by a factor of 1.07 (95% CI: 0.51, 2.24) for WLC (p =.74). Among those who reported emotional dysregulation episodes, the mean duration decreased by 1.39 minutes (95% CI: −3.90, 6.67) less for CBT than waitlist (p =.60). Although satisfaction, acceptability, and emotional dysregulation outcome results from this preliminary CBT treatment for ASD are promising, sample size and measurement limitations will be important considerations to inform future trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol and drug use (ADU) poses a significant barrier to optimal HIV treatment outcomes for adolescents and youths living with HIV (AYLHIV). We aimed to investigate the prevalence and correlates of ADU among ALHIV in Ugandan fishing communities, areas characterized by high HIV and poverty rates. AYLHIV aged 18–24, who knew they were HIV-positive, were selected from six HIV clinics. Substance use was determined through self-report in the last 12 months and urine tests for illicit substances. Utilizing a socioecological framework, the study structured variables into a hierarchical logistic regression analysis to understand the multi-layered factors influencing ADU. Self-reported past 12 months substance use was 42%, and 18.5% of participants had a positive urine test for one or more substances, with alcohol, benzodiazepines, and marijuana being the most commonly used. With the addition of individual-level socio-demographics, indicators of mental health functioning, interpersonal relationships, and community factors, the logistic regression analysis revealed greater exposure to adverse childhood experiences increased the odds of substance use (Odds Ratio [OR] = 1.24; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.03–1.55). Additionally, exposure to alcohol advertisements at community events significantly raised the odds of substance use (OR = 3.55; 95% CI: 1.43–8.83). The results underscore the high prevalence among AYLHIV and emphasize the need for comprehensive interventions targeting individual (e.g., life skills education and mental health supports), interpersonal (e.g., peer support and family-based interventions), community (e.g., community engagement programs, restricted alcohol advertisements and illicit drug access), and policies (e.g., integrated care models and a national drug use strategy), to address ADU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PEERS® for Young Adults is an evidence-based program aimed at teaching social skills needed to establish and maintain close relationships, including friendship and romantic relationships. The study investigated the effects of the Polish adaptation of the curriculum on the social functioning of adults on the autism spectrum. Fifteen young adults (aged 18–32, M = 23.5) were randomly allocated to an immediate or delayed (control) treatment condition. By self and parent report, individuals who participated in the PEERS® program showed significant improvements in social skills, social cognition, and social knowledge, but limited gains in social engagement. The effects were maintained over six months after the treatment. The intervention was well-accepted and deemed feasible by young adults, their parents, and peers involved in the program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Video‐based interventions (VBIs) are an approach that can be used to promote social behavioural skills for autistic children and young people. Despite an abundance of literature in this area, previous evidence syntheses are limited by their exclusive search strategies and eligibility criteria. Therefore, there is a lack of comprehensive evidence syntheses to provide insight on whether these interventions work, for whom, and in what circumstances. Evidence and Gap Maps (EGMs) are used to collate vast literature on a broad topic area such as this, highlighting areas for synthesis, and identifying gaps for future research. Objectives: To identify, map and synthesise existing primary research on VBIs promoting social behavioural skills for autistic children and young people, creating a live, searchable and publicly available EGM. Search Methods: Searches were conducted in electronic databases (n = 8), web search engines, and other repositories including published papers and grey literature. The search strategy was developed around two concepts including (1) terms related to autism, and (2) terms related to VBIs. Searches were conducted in May 2021. Selection Criteria: All primary studies evaluating the effectiveness of VBIs in promoting social behaviours for autistic children and young people aged 3–18 were included in the EGM. Data Collection and Analysis: Search results were imported into Eppi‐Reviewer where duplicates of identical studies were removed. Titles and abstracts were then screened by two independent reviewers. Potentially eligible full texts were located and also screened by two reviewers. Data were then extracted on study design, participant characteristics, type of intervention, type of outcome, and country of study, by one of three reviewers. EPPI‐Mapper was used to create the interactive EGM. Main Results: The current EGM contains 438 studies reporting on 394 single subject research designs, 25 randomised controlled trials, 15 non‐randomised group designs, and 8 pretest–posttest designs. Included studies evaluated VBIs in all male (n = 238), mixed gender (n = 172) or all female (n = 17) samples. VBIs employed included video modelling (n = 273), video self‐modelling (n = 82), point‐of‐view modelling (n = 61), video prompting (n = 57), video feedback (n = 12) and computer‐based video instruction (n = 4). The most frequently used models were adults (n = 191) and peers (n = 135). In relation to social outcomes, almost half evaluated social engagement (n = 199) with limited studies looking at safety (n = 9) and community (n = 7) skills. Authors' Conclusions: This EGM provides a valuable resource for policy‐makers, practitioners, researchers, funders and members of the public to access evidence on VBIs promoting social behavioural skills in autistic children and young people. The map has identified areas of sufficient research where evidence can undergo synthesis. In addition, important gaps in the evidence were highlighted and suggest further research is warranted in all female samples and less frequently evaluated types of VBIs and social outcomes. Evidence included in this EGM will be further explored via systematic review and meta‐analysis on control group designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to explore the clinical significance of school refusal behavior, its negative impact on psychological well-being of children and adolescents and its relationship with the most common psychopathological conditions during childhood and adolescence (e.g. neurodevelopmental disorders, psychiatric disorders). School refusal behavior refers to a distressing condition experienced by children and adolescents that compromise regular school attendance and determine negative consequences on mental health and adaptive functioning. A narrative review of the literature published between January 2019 and March 2023 was conducted. Ten studies (n = 10) were included from a literature search of the electronic databases PubMed, CINAHL, PsycInfo, MedLine, and Cochrane Library. The results indicate that school refusal is highly present in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder due to the presence of behavioral problems and deficits in communication skills. As for psychiatric disorders, school refusal appears to be highly common in anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and somatic symptoms. We also found that school refusal behavior may be associated with various emotional and behavioral conditions that act as risk factors. Especially, but are not limited to, it may be associated with a diminished self-concept, exposure to cyberbullying, specific affective profiles and excessive technology usage. Our results indicate that school refusal is a condition with many clinical facets. It can be attributed to both vulnerability factors, both temperamental and relational, and to various psychopathological conditions that differ significantly from each other, such as neurodevelopmental disorders and psychiatric disorders. Recognizing these aspects can improve the implementation of patient-tailored therapeutic interventions that are consequently more likely to produce effective outcomes. The therapeutic intervention should facilitate the recognition of cognitive biases regarding school as a threatening environment, while regulating negative emotions associated with school attendance. Additionally, therapeutic intervention programs linked to social skill training and problem-solving training, conducted directly within the school setting, can enhance children's abilities to cope with academic performance and social relationships, ultimately preventing school refusal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine whether Residential Immersive Life Skills programs (RILS) result in reliable change in autonomy and self-efficacy of youth with disabilities and whether gains persist over time. Sex differences and program response patterns were also examined. Autonomy from the ARC's Self-Determination Scale and self-efficacy from the General Self-Efficacy Scale were completed by participants at baseline, post-intervention, 3-month, and at 12-month follow-ups. Reliable change index was calculated and examined over time. Autonomy improved significantly following the completion of RILS program and gains persisted and increased at 12-month follow-up. Participants who reliably improved in autonomy (program-responders) also improved in self-efficacy. The program-responders began the program with significantly lower autonomy and self-efficacy scores at baseline and differed in personal factor relative to those who did not experience increased autonomy post-program (non-responders). There were sex differences in program response with more male participants responding to the program. RILS programs can result in sustained improvements in autonomy and self-efficacy. Urgency for change and personal needs/priorities may contribute to growth experiences. We recommend including a social connectedness module that formally facilitates friendships and social development to better meet the social needs of all youth, especially females with disabilities. Youth's autonomy improves following participation in Residential Immersive Life Skills programs. Over time, improvements in youth autonomy may lead to improvements in self-efficacy. It is important to measure gains over time as beneficial change increase over time. More male participants may experience outcome change in autonomy than female participants. Urgency for change and personal needs/priorities may contribute to growth experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To engage tribal community members in adapting an evidence based, youth life skills curriculum for transition-age youth who have experienced multiple risk factors that prevent a healthy transition to adulthood. This exploratory, qualitative study draws on the voices of twelve critical community member (providers, parents & youth) that identified the specific cultural adaptations for the curriculum. Three primary overlapping themes emerged (1) the importance of incorporating AIAN identity and ceremony in the intervention design, (2) how the program should be integrated into current service delivery and (3) the specific curricular components to be delivered, including by whom and how they should be delivered. The inclusion of tribal members is key to building culturally relevant service delivery systems that will meet the needs of American Indian adolescents and young adults who are who are transitioning to adult hood in a American Indian community. Implications for policy and practice are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with neurodevelopmental disabilities generally have less access to necessary medical care compared to those without disabilities. Barriers to adequate care include patient fear and uncooperative behavior during routine medical procedures and inadequate preparation of medical professionals to treat this population. Researchers have identified multiple behavior-analytic procedures for promoting comfort and cooperation during medical treatments. Efficient, cost-effective training programs are needed to widely disseminate behavior-analytic procedures to medical students and professionals. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of a virtual training to prepare medical students to implement behavioral procedures that could be easily incorporated into typical wellness examinations. Seven medical students received behavioral skills training (BST) delivered remotely via the Internet. Results showed that the training successfully increased students' correct implementation of the procedures in roleplay with the experimenter and with patients with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Responding also maintained at high levels 2 weeks after the training. These findings suggest that virtual BST is an efficient, practical approach for training health care professionals to implement general behavior management strategies to increase the comfort and cooperation of patients with NDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preschool classrooms provide a unique context for supporting the development of children with social-communication challenges. This study is an uncontrolled clinical trial of an adapted professional development intervention for preschool teachers (Social Emotional Engagement-Knowledge & Skills-Early Childhood). Social Emotional Engagement-Knowledge & Skills-Early Childhood is a low-resource-intensive, transdiagnostic intervention to address the learning needs of children with social-communication challenges and consists of four asynchronous online modules and three synchronous coaching sessions. The current research evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of intervention and research procedures, implemented in authentic early childhood education settings. Participants included one teacher and one target child with social-communication challenges from 25 preschool classrooms, sampled to maximize variability. Overall, the current research revealed high levels of feasibility, with 9 out of 10 benchmarks met: (a) procedures for participant recruitment reliably identified a neurodiverse sample of children with teacher-reported social-communication challenges; (b) teachers showed high levels of program engagement and Social Emotional Engagement-Knowledge & Skills-Early Childhood completion (76%); and (c) results revealed a robust pattern of gains in Social Emotional Engagement-Knowledge & Skills-Early Childhood classrooms and associations among key outcome measures (including active engagement, student teacher relationship, social-communication competencies). Implications for the design of a subsequent, larger effectiveness-implementation hybrid trial (Type 1) are discussed. Preschool classrooms provide a unique context for supporting the development of children with social-communication challenges. This study evaluates the feasibility and acceptability of an adapted professional development intervention for preschool teachers (Social Emotional Engagement-Knowledge & Skills-Early Childhood). Social Emotional Engagement-Knowledge & Skills-Early Childhood is a low-resource-intensive, transdiagnostic intervention to address the learning needs of children with a broad range of social-communication challenges in authentic preschool classrooms. The intervention consists of four asynchronous online modules and three synchronous coaching sessions. Participants included one teacher and one target child with social-communication challenges from 25 preschool classrooms from private childcare, Head Start, and public Pre-K programs. Results reveal high levels of Social Emotional Engagement-Knowledge & Skills-Early Childhood feasibility, with 9 out of 10 feasibility benchmarks met: (a) procedures for participant recruitment reliably identified a neurodiverse sample of children with teacher-reported social-communication challenges; (b) teachers showed high levels of program engagement and Social Emotional Engagement-Knowledge & Skills-Early Childhood completion (76%); and (c) results revealed a robust pattern of gains in Social Emotional Engagement-Knowledge & Skills-Early Childhood classrooms and associations among key outcome measures (including active engagement, student–teacher relationship, social-communication competencies). This research prepares a subsequent, larger effectiveness-implementation hybrid trial (Type 1) that investigates the effectiveness of Social Emotional Engagement-Knowledge & Skills-Early Childhood for improving child outcomes and explores facilitators and barriers of program implementation and sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: People with an acquired brain injury (ABI) find it challenging to use social media due to changes in their cognition and communication skills. Using social media can provide opportunities for positive connection, but there is a lack of interventions specifically designed to support safe and successful social media use after ABI. Aims: To investigate the outcomes of completing a social media skills intervention and identify barriers and facilitators for future implementation. Methods & Procedures: The study used a mixed‐methods, pre‐post‐intervention design. A total of 17 adults with an ABI were recruited. Participants completed an intervention that included a short self‐guided course about social media skills (social‐ABI‐lity course), and then participated in a private, moderated Facebook group over a 12‐week period (social‐ABI‐lity Facebook group). Data were collected over this period through observation of group activity and weekly surveys. They were also collected on social media use and quality of life at pre‐intervention, post‐intervention and after 3 months. Participants provided feedback on the experience of participating in the programme via a post‐intervention interview. Outcomes & Results: At post‐intervention, there were significant improvements in confidence in using Facebook (p = 0.002) and enjoyment of using Facebook to connect with others (p = 0.013). There was no significant change in reported quality of life, although participants described the multiple benefits of connection they perceived from involvement in the group. Observational data and feedback interviews were informative about the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention. Conclusions & Implications: This pilot study provided preliminary evidence that an intervention comprising a short, self‐guided training course and a private, moderated Facebook group improved outcomes for people with ABI. Key recommendations for future implementation include embedding active peer moderators within groups and taking an individualized approach to delivery of the intervention. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: Research has documented the challenges that people with ABI experience in using social media, and the difficulty for rehabilitation clinicians in providing appropriate support in this field. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: This pilot study reports the outcomes of people with ABI completing a short, self‐guided social media skills course and participating in a private, moderated Facebook group. After the intervention, participants reported significantly increased confidence and enjoyment in using Facebook, described the benefits of connection found in the groups, and suggested potential improvements for future implementation. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: With the growing use of social media for connection and participation, there is a professional obligation to address social media communication skills in cognitive–communication rehabilitation for people with ABI. The findings of this study will inform interventions and future research to assist people with ABI to build their social media skills for communication, social support and a sense of connection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As early identification of autism improves, there is a critical need for interventions to support the development of social communication skills in toddlers. Caregiver coaching and parental involvement is crucial for improving outcomes and providing children with adequate hours of planned active engagement. This pilot study assessed a 4-week intervention for individual caregiver–child dyads. Eight toddlers 21- to 45-months of age participated. Standardized assessments were collected at four study visits to assess autism symptomatology, language development, and both caregiver knowledge and engagement. Results demonstrated the feasibility of the intervention. Social communication, receptive and expressive language all improved as measured by direct assessment. Caregiver knowledge and caregivers' subjective feelings of engagement with their toddlers also improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the experience of adolescents with brain injuries and their caregivers who participated in the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) in Australia. Twenty-seven adolescents and 31 caregivers, who completed the PEERS® intervention as part of an RCT, contributed to focus groups following the 14-week program. Semi-structed interviews guided focus groups. An interpretive description methodology was used to understand participants' experiences in the program and suggestions for improvements. Thematic analysis led to the development of five themes. "Challenging families and meeting expectations" explored the challenge and worth of participating. "Learnt new skills" highlighted skills and strategies gained and methods used to achieve these. "Connecting, belonging and understanding that's our normal" represented the value placed on the group experience. "Confidence in knowing and doing" reflected the changes in everyday social experiences and "Where to from here?" provided many suggestions for adaptation to improve practice. After taking part in the PEERS® social skills group intervention, most adolescents with brain injury and their caregivers perceived improvement in their social participation and had suggestions for improving the group experience. Some adolescents didn't enjoy the program. Offering adolescents with brain injury and their caregivers the opportunity to participate in a group social skills intervention is an important part of paediatric rehabilitation. Participants of group social skills interventions are likely to perceive improvements in their everyday social functioning following completion. Considering strategies to enhance engagement in the group is expected to be important for outcomes. Participants of group social skills programs may need additional support and adjustments to balance the demands of the intervention with other everyday family and school tasks and requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Social skills interventions (SSIs) are effective for enhancing social skills and decreasing mental health problems in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, these interventions have been designed and their effectiveness has been established in Western countries. Lack of culturally acceptable SSIs for Asian nations is a possible barrier to implementing effective and tailored interventions that address the unique requirements of ASD individuals across countries and cultures. This study aims to explore the needs and preferences of adolescents with ASD, their caregivers, and healthcare professionals (HPs) in Thailand regarding the components, delivery formats, and cultural adaptation required for an outpatient-based social skills intervention. Methods: Qualitative data was collected via three focus groups of HPs (n = 20) and 24 paired interviews with adolescents with ASD and their caregivers from a child psychiatric hospital in Thailand. Purposive sampling was employed, and thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Results: Nine themes emerged from the data generated by HPs, and seven from adolescents with ASD and their caregivers. SSIs for Thai adolescents with ASD and their caregivers should emphasise specific social skills training and assess the abilities of adolescents as required. Incorporating various learning strategies is important. Parental involvement is essential and provides knowledge of an adolescent's symptoms and coaching skills, which are best used to support their adolescents. Cultural considerations include the need for social knowledge of Thai culture, promoting assertiveness and praising parents' abilities, implementing a programme in time to not interrupt academic achievement, and renaming a programme from social skills intervention to social communication intervention. Barriers to implementing a programme included HPs' need for specialised training and education and decreased workload. Also, the caregivers' and adolescents' stigma reduced attendance in a programme. Increased extra compensation and relocation days off are provided as policy support for staff who deliver the intervention. Conclusion: The results suggest that SSIs for Thai adolescents with ASD should be tailored to meet the needs for specific knowledge, skills, and parental collaboration as coaches for their adolescents. Additionally, it should incorporate Thai culture. It is necessary to consider staff knowledge, workload, and stigma in order to reduce barriers to implementation in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A common goal of peer-mediated interventions is to train peers to successfully initiate and maintain social and linguistic interactions with a target child in the classroom. Ample evidence indicates that peer-mediated interventions improve social and linguistic outcomes for students in the primary and later grades with developmental disabilities; however, relatively little work has focused on applying these approaches to socially isolated preschoolers who are vulnerable to academic and social challenges. In this early-stage feasibility study, we examined the potential of Promoting Early Engagement, Relationships, and Socialization (PEERS), a peer-mediated intervention designed to support socially isolated preschoolers. The main goal was to consider whether the intervention showed promise for improving the social and linguistic experiences of young, isolated children and was appropriate for implementation in a preschool setting. Method: In one preschool classroom, two peers who were well connected to their classmates were trained via storybook-based activities to provide social support to an isolated classmate. In-person and sensing technology observations were used to examine the target student’s incoming peer interactions, outgoing peer interactions, and physical proximity to peers. Results: In-person observations showed a trend toward increased interactions; sensing technology data, which provided longer snapshots of classroom experiences, were more variable. In addition, teachers perceived PEERS to be appropriate and effective. Conclusion: The findings of this study support further investigation of storybookbased peer-mediated interventions in preschool settings to improve the social and linguistic experiences of children who are socially isolated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The post-COVID-19 pandemic era has placed new demands on physicians. One of these demands is the need to use targeted knowledge and soft communication skills, to address the psychosocial problems (e.g. vaccine hesitancy, fears) of individuals with Chronic Physical Illnesses (CPIs). Focusing on training physicians in targeted soft communication skills can help health care systems to address psychosocial-type problems. Yet, such training programs are rarely implemented, effectively. This study aimed to (a) understand physicians' implementation challenges when using soft communication skills during the COVID-19 pandemic; (b) identify beliefs, barriers, and facilitators that can influence physicians' behaviours to use soft communication skills; and (c) inform the content of the LeadinCare; a new digital training platform, designed to improve physicians' soft communication skills, by leveraging the TDF Theoretical Domain Framework (TDF). We conducted 14 in-depth semi-structured interviews with physicians in Greece, supporting non-COVID-19 cases with CPIs. We analyzed their data using inductive and deductive approaches. Physicians highlighted time, inability to see patients in person, absence of space for non-COVID-19 cases, and poor organizational procedures as barriers to using soft communication skills. Five TDF domains (beliefs) were identified as the most salient to inform the LeadinCare platform: (1) practical and well-organized knowledge; (2) skills that support patients and their relatives; (3) physicians' beliefs about capabilities to use the skills; (4) beliefs about consequences of using the skills (job satisfaction); and (5) the use of digital, interactive, and on-demand platforms (environmental context & resources). We mapped the domains in six narrative-based practices that informed the content of the LeadinCare. Physicians need skills that go beyond talking and towards cultivating resilience and flexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A semistructured preschool motor program was developed in response to the paucity of evidence-based motor programs for preschoolers with disabilities in inclusive classrooms. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) was undertaken to examine the impact of the CHildren in Action: Motor Program for PreschoolerS (CHAMPPS), a 21-week intervention that includes 42 Universal Design for Learning–embedded lessons with suggestions for supporting school readiness skills. Eight intervention and 8 control classrooms across 2 states participated in the RCT. Data on 51 children with disabilities provide initial evidence on how CHAMPPS positively impacted children's active engagement, motor, and social development. The promising results include gains in motor skills, sustained physical activity levels during motor play, increased on-task behavior, and high feasibility and usability ratings by teachers. Implications for practice and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides a comprehensive review of the application of virtual reality (VR) in social and emotional learning (SEL) for children and adolescents over the past decade (January 2013–May 2023), with a specific interest in the relations between their technological and instructional design features. A search in Web of Science resulted in 32 relevant articles that were then manually screened. Coding analysis was conducted from four perspectives: participant characteristics, research design, technological features, and instructional design. The analysis provides insights into the VR literature regarding publication trends, target populations, technological features, instructional scenarios, and tasks. To test the effectiveness of VR interventions for promoting SEL, a meta-analysis was also conducted, which revealed an overall medium effect size and significant moderating effects of SEL disorder type and instructional task. Finally, based on the research results, the practical implications of and future research directions for applying VR in SEL were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social problem-solving skills (SPS) are essential to child development, especially for kunjing children without sufficient parental care (KCw/oSPC). This study aimed to design and implement a group-based pilot intervention programme to improve KCw/oSPC's SPS and assessed its effectiveness. This pilot intervention was a randomised controlled trial, fifty-seven KCw/oSPC at seventh grade (aged twelve to thirteen years) were recruited and randomly assigned into experimental (n  = 24) and waiting (n  = 33) groups. All participants in the experimental group received SPS training, whilst the waiting group did not receive any services at the research stage. Both pre- and post-test data about participants' SPS from both groups were analysed with Mann–Whitney–Wilcoxon and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, respectively. Results indicated that KCw/oSPC's SPS in the experimental group improved significantly, with large effect size (Cohen's d  =   1.15). This pilot study, although with limitations, contributed to informing future social work intervention studies and practice to promote KCw/oSPC's SPS in Mainland China and worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Schizophrenia, a chronic and severe mental disorder, is characterized by disruptions in thinking, perception, emotions, and behavior. These disturbances are accompanied by significant cognitive and social skill deficits that affect their functional outcomes encompassing employment, independent living, social interactions, and community integration. To address these issues, the development of psychological rehabilitation programs addressing cognitive and social skill deficits becomes pivotal in schizophrenia care. Objective: The study was designed to develop modules for the integrated psychological rehabilitation program (IPRP) that focus on neurocognitive functions, social skills, and functional disability and evaluate its feasibility among schizophrenia patients. Materials and Methods: The present study made use of a pre- and posttest research design and used purposive sampling to recruit patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Twelve participants completed the 1-month IPRP along with the pre- and posttest evaluations encompassing cognitive functions, social skills, and disability using the Bender Gestalt Test, Social Skills Assessment Screening Scale, NIMHANS neuropsychology battery, Postgraduate Institute Memory Scale, and WHO Disability Assessment Schedule II. IPRP consisted of psychoeducation, cognitive retraining, and social skills training. Results: The majority of the participants were college educated (91.7%), unemployed (83.3%), single (75%), males (75%), residing in urban areas (66.7%), and living in joint family (66.7%). Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare pre- and posttest means. The results found significant improvements in various cognitive domains, including visuospatial ability (Z = 2.43, P = 0.015), remote (Z = 2.12, P = 0.034) and immediate memory (Z = 2.04, P = 0.042), verbal retention for similar (Z = 2.26, P = 0.024) and dissimilar pairs (Z = 2.82, P = 0.005), recognition (Z = 2.14, P = 0.032), total memory (Z = 3.06, P = 0.002), mental speed in terms of time taken (Z = 2.98, P = 0.003) and errors made (Z = 2.26, P = 0.024) on the digit symbol substitution test, comprehension (Z = 2.84, P = 0.004), social skills (Z = 2.807, P = 0.005), and overall disability (Z = 2.94, P = 0.003). Conclusion: The findings from the study underscore the potential of the IPRP in mitigating cognitive deficits, enhancing social skills, and reducing overall disability among schizophrenia patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although evidence has suggested that social skills interventions yield social and symptom benefits for autistic children, significant variability in outcomes between studies has raised important questions regarding efficacy and moderators of intervention outcomes (i.e., which interventions yield positive effects and which autistic children are most likely to benefit). The efficacy of a comprehensive psychosocial program for autistic children, ages 7–12 years (N = 88) was tested in a prior randomized controlled trial (RCT). Significant effects favoring the program group (versus waitlist controls) were found at posttest on measures of autism-feature severity, social/social-communication skills, social-cognitive understanding (nonliteral language), and global social skills, and these were maintained at 4–6 week follow-up. In this exploratory study, demographic and clinical variables were tested as potential moderators of outcomes from the prior RCT. Moderation effects were not evident for demographics, or child IQ, expressive language, autistic diagnostic symptoms, or baseline co-occurring externalizing or internalizing symptoms. Child receptive language appeared to moderate the outcome of nonliteral language only. Overall, program effects were, with one exception, unrelated to third variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a widespread belief that youth mentoring contributes to students' holistic competency development, but research has not yet provided enough clarity on how exactly this contribution is made possible. To address this gap, in the current study we explore different mentoring strategies and their impacts on mentees' holistic competency development in an extracurricular mentoring programme for secondary school students in Hong Kong. Informed by both mentors' interviews and mentees' written/video reflections, we present three scenarios illustrative of the connection between mentoring strategies and impacts. Through detailed vignettes, we offer a productive and situated approach to understand the extent to which certain mentoring strategies are more likely to contribute to particular holistic competency outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Given that high levels of stress during adolescence are associated with negative consequences, it is important that adolescents with psychological needs are supported at an early stage, for instance with interventions at school. However, knowledge about the potential of school-based programs targeting adolescents with psychological needs, aimed at reducing school or social stress, is lacking. Objective: The current study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of two targeted school-based skills-training programs, addressing either skills to deal with performance anxiety or social skills. Methods: Two randomized controlled trials were performed with participants who self-selected to one of the programs. The sample comprised of N = 361 adolescents (Mage = 13.99 years, SD = 0.83) from various educational levels and ethnic identity backgrounds. The performance anxiety program included N = 196 participants (N = 95 in the experimental group), while the social skills program included N = 165 participants (N = 86 in the experimental group). MANCOVA's were performed. Results: The performance anxiety program had a small effect on reducing adolescents' test anxiety. Furthermore, for adolescents who attended more than half of the sessions, the program had small effects on reducing test anxiety and fear of failure. The program did not improve adolescents' coping skills or mental health. The social skills program was not effective in improving social skills, social anxiety, and mental health. Conclusions: A relatively short, targeted program addressing skills to deal with performance anxiety can have the potential to reduce adolescents' performance anxiety. Trial registration: International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (Netherlands Trial Register, number NTR7680). Registered 12 December 2018. Study protocol van Loon et al., (2019). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social learning through friendships is important in child development. Autistic children often initiate and engage in social interactions differently than neurotypical peers. LEGO® based therapy is a group intervention which facilitates social interactions with peers using collaborative LEGO® play. A 1:1 cluster randomised controlled trial with autistic children aged 7–15 comparing 12 weeks' LEGO® based therapy and usual support to usual support alone in 98 mainstream schools (2017–2019) was carried out. The primary outcome was social skills (Social Skills Improvement System) completed by unblinded teachers (not intervention deliverers) at 20 weeks. Analysis used intention-to-treat. Fifty intervention schools (127 participants) and 48 control schools (123 participants) were allocated. Primary analysis included 45 intervention schools (116 participants) and 42 control schools (101 participants). The between-arms difference was 3.74 (p = 0.06, 95% confidence interval: −0.16, 7.63) and 1.68 (p = 0.43, 95% confidence interval: −2.51, 5.87) at 20 and 52 weeks (0.18 and 0.08 standardised effect sizes). Twenty-week outcomes for those receiving per protocol intervention were 4.23 (95% confidence interval 0.27, 8.19) with a standardised effect size of 0.21. Sensitivity estimates were between 3.10 and 4.37 (0.15–0.21 standardised effect sizes). Three unrelated serious adverse events were reported. LEGO® based therapy has a small positive non-significant benefit for social skills at 20 weeks but not 52 weeks. Autism is characterised by keen interests and differences in social interactions and communication. Activities that help autistic children and young people with social skills are commonly used in UK schools. LEGO® based therapy is a new activity that provides interesting and fun social opportunities for children and young people and involves building LEGO® models together. This study looked at LEGO® based therapy for the social skills of autistic children and young people in schools. It was a randomised controlled trial, meaning each school was randomly chosen (like flipping a coin) to either run LEGO® based therapy groups in school over 12 weeks and have usual support from school or other professionals, or only have usual support from school or other professionals. The effect of the LEGO® based therapy groups was measured by asking children and young people, their parents/guardians, and a teacher at school in both arms of the study to complete some questionnaires. The main objective was to see if the teacher's questionnaire answers about the children and young people's social skills changed between their first and second completions. The social skills of participants in the LEGO® based therapy groups were found to have improved in a small way when compared to usual support only. The study also found that LEGO® based therapy was not very costly for schools to run and parents/guardians and teachers said they thought it was good for their children and young people. We suggest further research into different potential benefits of LEGO® based therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined the efficacy of the Polish adaptation of the PEERS® curriculum for adolescents on the autism spectrum. Twenty-nine adolescents (aged 11–16) were randomized into a Treatment and a Waitlist Control Group. Due to COVID-19-related restrictions, the Treatment Group received part of the intervention online (in hybrid mode). Results showed large effects of PEERS® increasing the teens' social skills, knowledge about social skills, and the number of get-togethers with peers. Most of the effects were maintained over a six-month follow-up period. There was no impact of the delivery mode on the treatment effects. The study demonstrates the feasibility and efficacy of the Polish adaptation of PEERS® and encourages future research on the online/hybrid delivery of Social Skills Training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autistic people may have difficulties in finding and keeping a job. Studies highlight that only 34% of autistic people are employed compared to 54% of people with disability. 58% of people with ASD have never had a job. Social cognition and cognitive strains may also have a significant impact on working life. The primary goal of our project is supporting autistic people through a training program focused on neuropsychological and social skills training to improve participant' job skills. Through an Individual Placement and Support model the project involved various Partners to guide, identify skills and interests, provide cognitive and psychological support for autistic people. Results highlighted neuropsychological training efficacy, especially in inhibitory control and good rate of employment status at the end of the project. Findings are encouraging and underline the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to support autistic people in their work life considering their expectations, needs and inclinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are at higher risks of developing chronic oral health conditions. This trial compared the efficacy of two tooth-brushing educational interventions on the oral hygiene status {Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S)} among 7–15-year-old students with ASD in Tehran. Four schools were divided to intervention (video modeling) and comparison (social story) school groups. The OHI-S of 137 participants had been evaluated at baseline and 133 were analyzed finally after one month. Baseline characteristics were similar between both groups. OHI-S improvement was significantly higher in intervention group. We concluded that tooth-brushing educational intervention using video modeling based on modern technologies would improve oral hygiene status more than traditional social stories (standard education) in individuals with ASD. Trial registration number: IRCT20200208046413N1, Registration date: 2020–07-05. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of behavioral skills training (BST) with video modeling and in situ training on workplace conversational skills of four transition-age students with autism enrolled in a U.S. community-based internship program. Intervention sessions began with BST, which included direct instruction, video modeling, conversational practice, and feedback on practice performance, and concluded with in situ training, during which participants conversed with coworkers in their internship settings. Data were collected on participants' accuracy in conversing with coworkers through mock conversations and in situ trials in internship settings. Findings demonstrated a functional relation between the implementation of the intervention package and increases in skill accuracy on in situ trials for all participants. Substantive improvements in participants' mock conversation scores within training settings were also noted. Findings highlight the importance of in situ training and how video modeling can be incorporated within a BST instructional sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavior disorders (BDs) are common and, without treatment, can have long-term impacts on child and family health. Behavioral Parent Training (BPT) is the standard of care intervention for early-onset BDs; however, structural socioeconomic barriers hinder treatment outcomes for low-income families. While digital technologies have been proposed as a mechanism to improve engagement in BPT, research exploring the relationship between technology use and outcomes is lacking. Thus, this study with 34 low-income families examined the impact of parents' use of adjunctive mobile app components on treatment efficiency in one technology-enhanced (TE-) BPT program, Helping the Noncompliant Child (HNC). While parent use of the TE-HNC app and its impact on the efficiency of service delivery varied across specific components, increased app use significantly reduced the number of weeks required for families to achieve skill mastery. Implications for the design and development of behavior intervention technologies in general, as well as for BPT in particular, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interactive video-based instruction (IVBI) session was organized in day-care rehabilitation settings to provide training in acquiring new skills related to social skills development for targeted moderate intellectual disability (MID) population. The main objective is to inter-relate the effect of individual and collaborative interactive video-based instruction on social skills development for experimental group children with those in the comparison group. A quasi-experimental design was conducted on (n = 99, comprising 56 males and 43 females) students with MID from selected three rehabilitation centres of Guwahati, Assam, India. The mean and standard deviation of individual interactive video-based instruction (IIVBI) and collaborative interactive video-based instruction (CIVBI) was better than the conventional group. The ANCOVA result shows a significant effect of IIVBI and CIVBI in the improvement of social skills over conventional approach on students after controlling the effect of the pre-test. The interactive session in both the experimental group allowed the students to create their own space for learning social skills via different activities using IVBI. The researchers concludes that regular practice of various activities through video sessions can help children with intellectual disability to overcome minor obstacles by themselves without any additional service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research demonstrates support for life skill development and in some instances the life skill transfer. However, coaching practices used to teach life skills are still being understood. This scoping review was designed to identify (a) the facilitative coaching practices related to the development and/or transfer of life skills in youth sport settings and (b) theories used to ground our understanding of coaching of life skills. As a secondary study purpose and way to promote social justice in youth sport, this scoping review was designed to highlight the inclusion of youth populations who are recognized as being socially vulnerable. In total, 51 articles were reviewed, including 25 articles that were guided by a specific theoretical orientation and 19 articles related to socially vulnerable populations. Findings identified implicit and explicit coaching practices for coaching life skills. Implicit coaching practices included developing a PYD-focused coaching philosophy, using a strength-based approach, establishing a prosocial team culture, fostering positive relationships, and supporting youth autonomy. Explicit coaching practices included discussing and teaching life skills, creating opportunities to practice life skills in sport, supplying direct feedback related to using life skills, debriefing sport experiences to enhance life skill transfer, and providing opportunities to transfer outside of sport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need arose for replacing conventional forms of education with remote classes. Therefore, it was decided to test the effectiveness of a social skills workshop conducted using active online methods for second-year physiotherapy students. The experimental factor was the contents of workshop classes taught online. The platforms Teams, Zoom and the Messenger were used to carry out the experiment. The workshops used active learning methods: simulation of work situation, drama, peer feedback and interaction-based communication. The results obtained from 78 participants (pre-test and post-test, including 45 women) were analysed. The age of the participants ranged from 20 to 22 years, with a mean of 20.7 years. A self-reported social skills questionnaire consisting of 30 statements was used. Participation in the course resulted in a significant increase in the index of general social competences of the students (F1.76=38.66; p <.0001; η2=.337; observed power (for α =.05) 1 − β > 0.99. There was no interaction between course participation and the gender of the participants (p =.0849). Online workshops using active teaching methods, which are an essential element of future physiotherapists' preparation for clinical work, can stimulate the development of their social skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epilepsy is a disorder that disturbs nerve cell activity in the brain, resulting in seizures. It was noted that it occurs mostly in children, especially at the primary school level, and could result from a genetic condition. The aim of this study was to develop and validate life skills education guidelines for primary school learners of Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces in South Africa to educate them about epilepsy with the aim of reducing stigma and discrimination towards people with epilepsy. The guidelines were developed by adapting the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline development guide, which included the formulation of PICOS (population, intervention, comparison, outcome, study design) questions, conducting a systematic review of the literature, and using GRADE (grading of recommendations assessment, development, and evaluation) to develop evidence-based recommendations. The recommendations that informed the guideline development were that epilepsy education should be included in the primary school life skills curriculum to improve learners' understanding, attitudes, and skills related to epilepsy. This epilepsy education should be tailored to the needs of primary school learners and cover topics such as seizure recognition, management, medication, and coping strategies. Collaboration between healthcare providers, educators, and policymakers is crucial to developing culturally appropriate and evidence-based epilepsy education guidelines. Teachers and healthcare providers should also receive training on how to support learners living with epilepsy. The resulting guidelines provide clear and concise guidance on epilepsy education in life skills for primary school learners, caregivers, and teachers. The guidelines are expected to improve the quality of epilepsy life skills education and contribute to the overall well-being and inclusion of learners with epilepsy in Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces, South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored care co-ordinator reports about provision of six evidence-based psychosocial interventions (PSIs) for people living with psychosis, to better understand decision-making about provision. Conducted as an adjunct to the Second Australian National Survey of Psychosis in one catchment area, care co-ordinators completed a structured interview about evidence-based PSIs provided to 33 consumers as part of their community mental health care. Descriptive analyses were conducted. Care co-ordinators reported most consumers were provided at least one of the PSIs during the previous year; all were provided at least one non-evidence-based, typically briefer or simpler, alternative. Relapse Prevention Planning using early warning signs was reported as most provided; Family Psychoeducation was the least provided but rated as most helpful. The primary reason for non-provision of PSIs was that they had not been offered, with lack of relevance the most cited explanation. PSIs may be more commonly provided than previously reported, if non-evidence-based alternatives are also considered: reasons for not offering evidence-based PSIs require further study. Meaningful guidelines are needed about when and how to offer PSIs in collaborative practice, including briefer or simpler interventions when preferred over more complex interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports on two pilot studies developing a telemedicine parent-delivered social skills intervention (PDSSI) for school-aged children with ASD. Pilot study 1 involved initial development, training, and feasibility testing for six parent–child pairs using in-person training and fidelity monitoring. Findings from study 1 supported the intervention procedures through high satisfaction and parent implementation fidelity. Pilot study 2 tested the intervention with 11 parent–child pairs using telemedicine for parent training, fidelity monitoring, and child outcome testing. Findings from study 2 supported feasibility using telemedicine. Study 2 also provided initial data indicating improvements in child social skills knowledge (d = 1.15), social skills (d = 1.75), and ASD characteristics (d = 0.92). Parents reported improvements in their own empowerment (d = 1.09) and stress (d = 0.44). Some outcomes were assessed and maintained at a 16-week follow-up. Overall, results support ongoing testing of this telemedicine PDSSI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This scoping review brings together existing studies on the use of cats in animal-assisted interventions, as assistance animals and as companion animals for autistic people. A systematic search across PubMed, CINAHL and Scopus in September 2022 identified 13 articles from 12 studies meeting the selection criteria with analysis revealing two key findings, cat-assisted therapeutic interventions, and cats as companion animals. There were five themes that emerged: the characteristics and behaviours of cats that make them suitable for inclusion in homes with autistic people; the bond between the cat and the autistic person; the use of cats as human-substitutes; the multiple ways in which cats improved the lives and social functioning of autistic people; and, some noted drawbacks or considerations of cat ownership. The review generates a comprehensive knowledge base upon which to promote feline therapy in autism and to advocate for further targeted research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: In 2019, >71 million children aged <5 had spent their entire lives in conflict-affected settings. Compounding adversities including violence, poverty, and displacement have immediate and long-term effects on early childhood development, health, behavior, and well-being. In response, adaptations of Reach Up have been implemented in conflict and crisis settings. METHODS: This article uses exploratory multiple case study methodology, drawing from implementation and qualitative data from 3 interventions: a mobile phone-based intervention promoting nurturing care among Rohingya and crisis-affected host communities in Bangladesh; Reach Up amid acute violence and displacement in Northeast Syria; and Reach Up group sessions and home visits integrated with health services for an indigenous population in Venezuela. RESULTS: In Bangladesh, tailoring interactive voice response messages improved responsiveness to the developmental needs of young children, yet complementary in-person services were identified as a key program enhancement. In Syria, rapid adaptations of Reach Up addressed the needs of families in acute crisis, including social-emotional learning games for school-aged children. In Venezuela, Reach Up, coupled with complementary lactation counseling, yielded high rates of uptake and satisfaction, and children's language development was highlighted as a key area of growth. CONCLUSIONS: Recommendations to promote early childhood development in crisis and conflict settings include: (1) cultural adaptation based on a holistic understanding of children and caregivers' needs; (2) the integration of child and family safety and linkages with complementary services on the basis of community needs and priorities, and (3) the importance of designing for scale through blended models and costing analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social impairments characteristic of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are evident in early childhood and often worsen. There is a paucity of evidence-based interventions explicitly targeting social skill development for young children with ASD and few actively integrate caregivers. The PEERS® program, an evidence-based caregiver-assisted social skills program, was extended for young children with ASD (i.e., PEERS® for Preschoolers (P4P)). This pilot study expands upon initial results by examining the feasibility of a briefer intervention period and the effectiveness in improving child social skills among 15 children with ASD. Results suggest P4P recruitment, participant retention, and implementation are feasible across clinicians and sites. Further, P4P appears to improve social skills, maintained post-intervention. Future research might examine mechanisms that lead to results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Outcomes from participating in a six-week small-group living skills program, periodically implemented over two years with twelve adult mental health consumers, are reported as a case study. Occupational therapy and recovery-oriented approaches underpinned the development and implementation of the program thus it was important that outcome measures aligned with these perspectives. Data were gathered pre and post program using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and the Life Skills Profile-16 (LSP-16) in each iteration of the program. Two occupational therapy program facilitators were interviewed about their experience of running the program and using these measurement tools. COPM occupational performance (p = 0.001) and COPM satisfaction (p = 0.004) scores indicated significant change at post-program whereas the LSP-16 total and subscale scores did not (p = 0.132 for total scores). Facilitator insights into the experience of implementing the living skills program and the perceived alignment of the COPM and LSP-16 with recovery-oriented practice are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]