• Current Issue
  • Back Issues
  • Article Topics
  • ASN Events Calendar
  • 2023 Leadership Awards Reception
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Submit an Article
  • Sign Up For E-Newsletter

social problem solving autism

Social Problem Solving: Best Practices for Youth with ASD

  • By: Michael Selbst, PhD, BCBA-D Steven B. Gordon, PhD, ABPP Behavior Therapy Associates
  • July 1st, 2014
  • assessment , problem solving , social information processing , social skills
  • 7781    0

Joey, age 9, has been diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and due to his high functioning has been mainstreamed into a fourth grade classroom with a shadow. His […]

Joey, age 9, has been diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and due to his high functioning has been mainstreamed into a fourth grade classroom with a shadow. His challenging behaviors typically center on his peer interactions in spite of adequate academic performance. When in a group situation he becomes very argumentative when his ideas are not used, becomes very bossy on the playground, and has run out of the classroom when things do not go his way. Megan, age 14, has also been diagnosed with ASD. She isolates herself from her peers and rarely initiates or responds to greetings. Conversations are almost nonexistent unless they are focused on her favorite topics of anime or fashion.

Children with ASD described as above typically have significant social skills impairments and often require direct instruction in order to address these deficits. They often have difficulty in many of the following areas: sharing, handling frustration, controlling their temper, ending arguments calmly, responding to teasing, making/keeping friends, complying with requests. Strong social skills contribute to the initiation and maintenance of positive relationships with others and as a result contribute to peer acceptance. Social skills impairments, on the other hand, contribute to peer rejection. The ability to get along with peers, therefore, is as important to self-esteem as the ability to meet with academic success in the classroom. This article will review the domain of social skills, the assessment of social skills, the importance of social problem-solving and a social skills curriculum which incorporates evidence-based practices to address this very important area.

Social information processing (SIP) is a widely-studied framework for understanding why some children have difficulty getting along with peers. A particularly well-known SIP model developed by Crick and Dodge (1994) describes six stages of information processing that children cycle through when evaluating a particular social situation: encoding (attending to and encoding the relevant cues), interpreting (making a judgment about what is going on), clarifying goals (deciding what their goal is in the particular situation), generating responses (identifying different behavioral strategies for attaining the decided upon goal), deciding on the response (evaluating the likelihood that each potential strategy will help reach their goal and choosing which strategy to implement), and performing the response (doing the chosen response). It is assumed that the steps outlined above operate in real time and frequently outside of conscious awareness. Numerous studies have shown that unpopular children have deficits at multiple stages of the SIP model. For example, they frequently attend to fewer social cues before deciding on peers’ intent, are more likely to assume that peers have acted towards them with hostile intent, are less likely to adopt pro-social goals, are more likely to access aggressive strategies for handling potential conflicts, evaluate aggressive responses more favorably, and are less skillful at enacting assertive and prosocial strategies.

Deficits in social skills are one of the defining characteristics of children with ASD. These impairments manifest in making and keeping friends, communicating feelings appropriately, demonstrating self-control, controlling emotions, solving social problems, managing anger, and generalizing learned social skills across settings. Elliott and Gresham (1991) indicated that social skills are primarily acquired through learning (observation, modeling, rehearsal, & feedback); comprise specific, discrete verbal and nonverbal behaviors; entail both effective and appropriate initiations and responses; maximize social reinforcement; are influenced by characteristics of environment; and that deficits/excesses in social performance can be specified and targeted for intervention. Social skills can be conceptualized as a narrow, discrete response (i.e., initiating a greeting) or as a broader set of skills associated with social problem solving. The former approach results in the generation of an endless list of discrete skills that are assessed for their presence/absence and are then targeted for instruction. Although this approach has an intuitive appeal and is easily understood, the child can easily become dependent on the teacher/parent in order to learn each skill.

An alternative approach focuses on teaching a problem solving model that the child is able to apply independently. Rather than focusing on teaching a specific behavioral skill, the focus is on teaching a social problem solving model that the learner would be able to use as a “tool box.” The well-used saying “give a person a fish and she eats for a day but teach her to fish and she eats for a lifetime” is particularly relevant. The social problem solving approach offers the promise of helping the child with ASD to become a better problem solver, thereby promoting greater independence in social situations and throughout life.

After many years of conducting social skills training using the specific skill approach, the authors have developed a model of social problem solving that uses the easily learned acronym of POWER. The steps of POWER-Solving® include:

P ut problem into words

O bserve feelings

W ork out your goal

E xplore solutions

R eview plan

Each of the five steps of POWER-Solving® has been previously identified as reliably distinguishing between children with emotional/behavioral disorders and psychologically well-adjusted individuals. The ability to “Put problem into words” is critical in order to start the problem solving process. Children with ASD often have difficulties finding the words to identify a problem. Thus, the first step in this approach involves direct training in the use of the rubric “I was… and then…” Upon entering the classroom and finding a peer in his seat Joey immediately pushed the peer in an attempt to get him out of his seat. Through the use of POWER-Solving® Joey was taught to articulate “I was walking into the classroom and then I saw that Billy was in my seat.”

The second step of “Observe feelings” was addressed by helping Joey develop a feelings vocabulary (e.g., angry, frustrated, scared, sad) as well as measuring the intensity of these emotions using a scale from one to ten, with a one being “very weak” and a ten being “very strong.” Photographs and drawings were used extensively to capitalize on his strong visual skills.

The third step of POWER-Solving®, “Work out your goal?” involves identifying the goal and the motivation to reach the chosen goal. This critical step sets the stage for what follows. The goal must be specific and measurable, consistent with Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) principles. Joey was able to identify that his goal consisted of two parts. First, he wanted to get Billy out of his seat and second, he wanted him to still be his friend. He reported that his desire to reach this goal was a nine on the ten-point scale.

The fourth step of POWER-Solving® involves “Explore solutions.” Socially skilled individuals are able to generate a range of effective solutions but those with impairments are more limited and often apply the same rigid solution over and over again in spite of repeated ineffectiveness. Joey was taught to “brainstorm,” which involves generating as many solutions as possible that might reach the stated goal, provided the solution is safe, fair, and effective. Joey was able to identify that approaching Billy and saying “Excuse me but I need to sit in my seat now” would help him to accomplish his goal(s). Behavioral rehearsal, combined with coaching and feedback, helped Joey to become fluent in applying this solution.

The final step of POWER-Solving®, “Review plan,” involved Joey reviewing his plan to use this skill the next time the situation presented and to reward himself by saying “I am proud of myself for figuring this out.”

POWER-Solving® has been applied successfully in multiple settings such as the classroom, a summer treatment program, clinical settings and home environments. The curriculum is systematic and relies heavily on visual cues and supports. Children are taught how to problem-solve first using their “toolbox” (i.e., the five steps of POWER-Solving®). The children are presented with specific unit lessons on each of the five steps of POWER-Solving®. All children have an opportunity to practice each step of POWER-Solving®. After learning each step of POWER, the children have acquired a “toolbox” which they can begin to apply to social situations.

When teaching social skills, it is important to coach the children through behavioral rehearsal activities to promote skill acquisition, performance, generalization and fluency. Additionally, daily activities reinforce these skills, some of which include designing their own feelings thermometer, developing novel products via group collaboration, and developing a skit to teach a specific skill.

To increase students’ performance of the desired skills, use of a token economy may be helpful, whereby points are earned during the day for displaying appropriate behavior, demonstrating a predetermined individualized social behavioral objective and for using the POWER-Solving® steps. At the end of every day, points could be exchanged for a reward. In addition to the direct instructional format, incidental teaching should be used in anticipation of a challenging situation as well as a consequence for failure to use the steps when confronted with a specific problem. An experienced social skills coach, generalization strategies, and a systematic plan to teach and reinforce skills are critical for success.

Please feel free to contact us at Behavior Therapy Associates for more information about best practices for social skills training, as well as information regarding the POWER-Solving curriculum. We can be reached at 732-873-1212, via email [email protected] or on website at www.BehaviorTherapyAssociates.com .

Crick, N.R., & Dodge, K.A. (1994). A review and reformulation of social information-processing mechanisms in children’s social adjustment.  Psychological Bulletin , 115, 74–101.

Elliott, S.T. & Gresham, F. M. (1991).  Social skills intervention guide: Practical strategies for social skills training . Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.

Related Articles

Using media as an effective tool to teach social skills to adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorders.

Media is a powerful educational tool for adolescents and young adults in general; however, for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) it provides a unique opportunity to learn social skills. […]

The Importance of Socialization for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are defined by three main components/deficits. These are deficits in Communication (receptive/expressive speech and language delay), Behaviors (aka self-stimulatory behaviors or stimming) and Socialization. Communication: these […]

Teaching Social Skills – A Key to Success

As young adults with autism transition from high school to college, work or independent living, they need to have good social skills in order to make friends, engage colleagues and […]

Places for Persons with Asperger’s to Meet People

There are many places where persons with Asperger’s can meet people, but too often they don’t know where they can comfortably and satisfactorily do this. Bars, cocktail parties, and other […]

I Finally Feel Like I Belong

I was one of the unpopular kids. I was never invited to birthday parties or sleepovers. I had no friends, and no one wanted to hang out with me. I […]

Have a Question?

Have a comment.

You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

Individuals, Families, and Service Providers

View our extensive library of over 1,500 articles for vital autism education, information, support, advocacy, and quality resources

families and caregivers

Reach an Engaged Autism Readership Over the past year, the ASN website has had 550,000 pageviews and 400,000 unique readers. ASN has over 55,000 social media followers

Get Involved

View the Current Issue

ASN Winter 2024 Issue "Understanding and Accommodating Varying Sensory Profiles"

ASN Winter 2024 Issue

Two children playing connect 4 together

Teach social problem solving

For student year, helps students to.

  • solve social problems
  • become independent

Helps teachers to

  • support students
  • model strategies

Social problem solving is a skill that develops during the early years of school. It is the process and strategies used to analyse, understand, and respond to everyday problems, decision making, and conflicts.

Social problem solving is often fostered intuitively through interactions with others. Some students, including those on the autism spectrum, may benefit from systematic instruction in helpful strategies for social problem solving.

Social problems can be as simple as turn-taking, and as complex as bullying.

Instruction helps students to understand:

  • what a social problem is 
  • how to recognise a social problem
  • the process to follow when a social problem occurs, and
  • the strategies they could use to solve a social problem.

How the practice works

Watch this video to learn more about this practice.

Duration: 03:49

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers related to this practice

1.6 - strategies to support the full participation of students with disability

4.1 - support student participation

4.2 - manage classroom activities

4.3 - manage challenging behaviour

For further information, see  Australian Professional Standards for Teachers AITSL page

Join the inclusionED community

View this content in full by creating a free account..

Already have an account? Log in

Preparing to teach

Be proactive.

  • Identify barriers to learning and social demands and put these strategies in place to reduce the likelihood of problems occurring in the first place.
  • Use observations to develop a clear and comprehensive understanding of the problem(s) that the student is experiencing.
  • understand possible triggers 
  • be alert to any potentially challenging situations throughout the day. 
  • Identify the specific strategy to teach students how to find a solution. There are several strategies available in the Resources section below.
  • as a whole class
  • in small groups
  • individually
  • a mix of above.

Use supports

  • Identify and develop the visual supports required to explicitly and systematically teach a social problem solving process and keep these handy. These can be social stories, routine charts, or emotion cards for self-regulation.
  • Identify appropriate storybooks and visual supports that you can incorporate in your explicit teaching to enhance student understanding. 
  • role-play/rehearsal
  • puppet play (check the students aren’t frightened of puppets)
  • social stories
  • visual prompts.

How will you:

  • embed problem solving scenarios 
  • model the problem solving process 
  • positively encourage, support, and reinforce students to use the process to solve real-life social problems 
  • share the social problem solving process with families. 

Communicate

Communicating with families will encourage generalisation of the associated strategy at home. You can also communicate the types of language used so families can use similar language at home if they like.

The turtle technique

When you have a clear and understanding of the problem the student is experiencing, you can then identify and use a specific intervention process to teach the student how to find a solution. One such process is the turtle technique.  This which involves teaching students the steps of how to control feelings and calm down (i.e., think like a turtle). 

You will find further templates in the resource section of this practice.

It works better if:

  • the social problem solving strategy has a small number of set steps
  • teachers model these steps
  • students are encouraged to use to the strategy to solve their social problems whenever they occur
  • language is used consistently and modelled throughout the day and at home
  • visual supports are used to enhance student understanding of the strategy.

It doesn’t work if:

  • the student is expected to solve a social problem when distressed or overloaded 
  • the student hasn’t understood the problem solving strategy (so it will need re-teaching) 
  • the problem solving strategy has too many steps. 

In the classroom

Step 1: teach social problem solving.

Explicitly and systematically teach a social problem solving strategy using visual supports.  These are available in the resources section.

You notice student A becomes frustrated when they others don't want to play the same game. You can introduce the concept of turn-taking, and establish strategies for students to determine whose turn it is, promoting fairness and equality. Student A can then independently use these strategies when this comes up again.

Step 2: Practice relaxation

Ensure that class practises relaxation skills.

Step 3: Embed and respond

Be alert to any situations throughout the day that may result in social difficulties.

Model using the strategy to solve social problems.

Support student use of the strategy in relation to their encountered social problems: 

  • remain calm – personally model the skills involved
  • reduce ‘talk’ and use visual cues
  • deal with social difficulties in a consistent manner.

Acknowledge and positively reinforce all attempts by student to use problem-solving skills.

Step 4: Review

Wait until the student is calm and receptive before providing feedback.

Step 5: Reflect

Reflect on whether the student was able to solve the social problem independently, or whether the strategy needs to be adjusted.

Record student outcomes in order to track progress.

Note program outcomes.

Practice toolkit

Practice implementation planner template.

We know that it is not always easy to keep track of what is working and what is not. So, we have created this template for you to record and reflect on what you are doing to help you create a more inclusive classroom. The implementation planner contains:

  • Guidance around goal setting
  • Reflection section (What worked, didn’t work and what to change and next steps.)
  • Prompting questions

Implementation planner template

document

Implementation planner with examples

Set your professional learning goal for:, benefits of goal setting.

  • Goal setting guidelines
  • Importance of goal setting

How to set goals

Teach social problem solving - practice brief.

pdf

Turtle Technique – 4 step problem solving process

Suri spider social story - by ncpmi, example visual support - how to choose, example visual support: playing 'round the world, example visual support: playing handball, related practices.

Teacher on laptop talking to student. Student is mirroring the teachers gestures.

Model positive interactions

Teaching practice, for student years.

  • build social-awareness
  • interact with others

This practice is from the core research project

Student working at a desk

Learning Cycle

Practice cycle

Set your practice implementation goal

aclogo_icon_white

Special Educator Academy

Free resources, how to improve social problem solving in autism with social autopsies.

How to Improve Social Problem Solving in Autism with Social Autopsies or After Action Analysis Reports

Sharing is caring!

How to teach social problem solving with after action reports. With a free download. #ACRpodcast

As I talked about in Episode 69 , students with high functioning autism struggle with social problem solving. Many of their behavioral challenges stem from difficulties with problem solving the many social situations they navigate each day in school and in their communities. In addition, social challenges are often the reasons that these highly qualified individuals lose out on competitive employment when they graduate.

The Impact of Problem Solving Problems

Over the years I’ve heard from so many employers about individuals with autism. Unequivocally their message is, “They can do the work. But they couldn’t get alone with their coworkers.” Or sometimes it’s that the worker was doing great until they encountered a situation where they had to problem solve with another person. Maybe they had to negotiate a situation with a coworker and couldn’t compromise well. Other times, it’s that they had difficulty seeing the perspective of how their behavior was impacting other people in the workplace. I’ve heard similar things from college professors over the years.

How to teach social problem solving with after action reports. With a free download. #ACRpodcast

The common theme to all of these conversations, as well as the many k-12 teachers who say similar things, is that the students are smart. That the work was never the issue. The difficulty always comes from having to navigate and problem solve a social situation. As Dr. Kabot said in episodes 70 and 71, smart is not enough.

After-Action Analysis Reports

In today’s episode I want to share a strategy that has become a huge tool for students to learn how to problem solve social situations. I’ve talked about it in the past and describe it in more detail in this post. Traditionally, the little literature we have about it, it’s called a social autopsy. However, I have found that many students (and sometimes teachers) hate this name. Because those students are really perceptive. Who wants to have their behavior autopsied after all!

So one of them suggested the name After-Action Reports. So I’m going to start referring to them as After-Action Analysis Reports. And it’s the analysis that is really key to helping students learn to problem solve.

Highlights of Episode 72

  • Find out what a social autopsy is and how it can be used in a social skills program
  • Learn how social autopsies, or after-action analysis (AAA) reports, can help your students problem solve social situations
  • Discover 3 key elements of AAA reports that you must have to help them be effective for problem solving
  • Learn how AAA reports can also save you, as an educator, time by serving as a data source for behavior
  • And grab a free set of of social autopsies or after-action reports from the free resource library below

If you are looking for a deeper dive into teaching social skills, we have a whole course on it in the Special Educator Academy.

Grab Your Free After Action Reports And Check Out The Academy

Social Autopsies After Action Analysis

Come join the Academy and check out the Social Skills course. Grab a free 7-day free trial with the button below.

I will be taking a week off next week and will probably have a new blog post up. But I’ll be back the next week as we gear up for Autism month, so I hope you’ll join me then.

Over the years I’ve heard from so many employers about individuals with autism. Unequivocally their message is, “They can do the work. But they couldn’t get alone with their coworkers.” Or sometimes it’s that the worker was doing great until they encountered a situation where they had to problem solve with another person. Maybe they had to negotiate a situation with a coworker and couldn’t compromise well. Other times, it’s that they had difficulty seeing the perspective of how their behavior was impacting other people in the workplace. I’ve heard similar things from college professors over the years.  

After-Action Analysis Reports for Problem Solving

In today’s episode I want to share a strategy that has become a huge tool for students to learn how to problem solve social situations. I’ve talked about it in the past and describe it in more detail in this post. Traditionally, the little literature we have about it, it’s called a social autopsy. However, I have found that many students (and sometimes teachers) hate this name. Because those students are really perceptive. Who wants to have their behavior autopsied after all!  

So one of them suggested the name After-Action Reports. So I’m going to start referring to them as After-Action Analysis Reports. And it’s the analysis that is really key to helping students learn to problem solve.  

  • And grab a free set of of social autopsies or after-action reports from the free resource library in the blog post at autismclassroomresources.com/episode72

Just a quick couple of housekeeping notes. You can find a free download in the blog post for this episode at autismclassroomresources.com/episode72 . And if you are looking for a deeper dive into teaching social skills, we have a whole course on it in the Special Educator Academy. So come check it out with a free trial at specialeducatoracademy.com . I will be taking a week off next week and will probably have a new blog post up. But I’ll be back the next week as we gear up for Autism month, so I hope you’ll join me then.

Now, Let’s Get Started.

What Are Social Autopsies (Or AAA Reports)?

After-Action Analysis Reports are exactly what they sound like. They are a way for a student to review a social problem after it occurred. Typically these situations are ones that resulted in a behavior problem. But they could be any type of social situation that caused a problem of any kind. The process that it takes is the problem solving process. So define the problem, analyze it, draw conclusions and plan your action.

Define the Problem

Typically, after the situation, the student will work with an adult to tease apart how the situation occurred. They will work through what happened, to make sure that the facts are straight. And it’s always interesting to hear the situation from the student’s perspective. Because remember that students with autism often have difficulty understanding others’ perspectives. So, often when they describe a situation, it doesn’t look like what other people observed. This is useful information to us because it shows where they were coming from.

So let’s take a really minor example to demonstrate. Bob told Sally that her haircut looked like she cut it herself. Sally of course was mortified. Bob was mystified because he didn’t realize that this might not be perceived as a compliment. This particular issue is a pretty common hidden curriculum item, that we talked about in Episode 68.

What Mistake Was Made?

The next step is to talk about where the problem came in. What was the social error that occurred? How did it happen? Who did it affect?  

In this case, Bob realizes that he shouldn’t have said that to Sally, based on her reaction. He noted that Sally was upset because he hurt her feelings. And he’s upset because Sally is mad at him.

What Should The Student Do To Correct The Mistake?

Once the student identifies the mistake, the next step is to determine what they need to do to correct the mistake. How should they make amends? Is there a way they can make up for what they did wrong to ease the hurt?  

In our example, apologizing to Sally is the solution that Bob comes up with to correct the mistake. And in this minor example that’s probably sufficient. But if the situation ended in up with another student being hurt by aggression or property damage, then the problem solving process is going to be more intricate. The adult is going to have to help the student go beyond a simple apology. The student is probably going to have to do something to restore the situation in some way. And this is important because students shouldn’t just learn that apologies are all that are needed.

What Should the Student Do Next Time?

Once the student knows how to correct this particular situation, the analysis moves to how to prevent future problems around the same type of situation. In other words, this is where the problem solving helps them to learn to prevent future situations.  

So, in Bob and Sally’s situation, Bob may note (as men would often say they have learned the hard way) that when Sally asks about how something looks, he will try to be honest but kind. So he has a strategy for how he is going to respond to this type of situation in the future.  

Again, if it was a more serious situation, it would require more problem solving and more discussion to develop strategies. If the student became aggression, it would be a good time to talk about coping strategies to help them remain calm in the situation.

Role Playing: A Key Part of Problem Solving

Finally, a key part of the process has to be role playing the solutions. Learned behaviors don’t change just because we think they are a good idea. If they did, I would always eat healthy food and get enough sleep. And yet, I don’t. Changing behavior takes practice. Especially because challenging behavior, in particular, is often learned behavior that has been practiced. And often it’s been reinforced. So they have to practice repeatedly and be reinforced in order for the behavior to change.

Key Elements to Make After Action Reports Work

There are a few key elements you have to make sure you focus on to make this problem solving process effective for your students. First, make sure that you are completing the analysis process when the student is calm. This isn’t a strategy that you use when the student is in the middle of the behavioral issue. It’s called an AFTER action report for a reason. This is a debriefing process to analyze in retrospect. Because let’s face it, no one thinks clearly when upset.  

Second, writing it down is really key because students see it more clearly. But they can also go back and review them periodically. I had a student who used to keep a notebook of his after action reports and go back over them when he wasn’t sure of something. He would find parallels in them to apply to situations he was trying to figure out. He used them as a resource.

Third, role playing, as I noted before is essential. Without role playing, this is just a lovely conversation. Without the practice and reinforcement (and feedback), it’s unlikely to change behavior.

Benefits of AAA For Problem Solving

The whole purpose of the social autopsy or after-action analysis process is designed to take the student through the problem solving process. The steps you are working through with the student are those we all use to figure out how to handle a situation when we aren’t sure of a situation.  

Benefits to the Current Situation

So, first the student benefits because they learn a solution to the current situation. And they should come away with a solution that might translate to solving that particular type of situation in the future. So Bob knows now how to handle situations when a friend asks “How do you like my new haircut?” And maybe he generalizes that knowledge when a friend asks “Do you like this dress?” or other similar questions.  

Benefits to Future Situations

But the bigger benefit of the after-action analysis process is to help the student to learn how to problem solve new situations. At first, they may learn how to problem solve after the fact, as we do with the AAA reports. But, over time, if they become more adept at it, they may learn to problem solve more quickly in the moment. And that may help them to avoid the problem situation in the first place.

Benefits to the Teacher

Finally, there are also benefits of the After Action Reports for the educators. First, the report process, while completed by the student and the adult together, serve as behavioral documentation. As such, since it outlines what happened during a behavioral incident, it can serve as your data. I’ve used these reports as a way to measure IEP goals for behavior or monitor behavior programs. We actually use the number of instances requiring a social autopsy / AAA report as an indicator of progress. And finally, the report also serves as documentation of implementing procedures that are (or should be) written into the behavior support plan. Maintaining a record of the reports provides you with evidence of implementation.

Summary of Resources for Problem Solving

I’m excited to say that you can download a free set of Social Autopsies and After Action Analysis Reports from the Free Resource Library. If you have the earlier set that has been in the library for a bit, it’s worth downloading them again as I’ve updated them to add a new set with the new name (the older ones are still there for consistency). I have a hard time letting go of the social autopsy name because we do have literature out there calling it that. But I also know our students don’t really care about that! So, hop over to the blog post at autismclassroomresources.com/episode72 and you can sign up or sign in and grab your free download as well as a transcript. And I’d love to know if you have used this type of process with your students, so if you are an educator, hop over to our free facebook group at specialeducatorsconnection.com and answer the questions and share.  

I’ll be back in two weeks, as we gear up for Autism month, so I hope you’ll join me then. Until then, thank so much for tuning in and sharing your time with me. I know how precious it is. And as always, thanks so much for everything you do for your students.

Never Miss An Episode!

social problem solving autism

Unlock Unlimited Access to Our FREE Resource Library!

Welcome to an exclusive collection designed just for you!

Our library is packed with carefully curated printable resources and videos tailored to make your journey as a special educator or homeschooling family smoother and more productive.

Free Resource Library

  • Skip to content
  • Skip to navigation

Social skills: what they are and why they’re important for autistic teenagers

Social skills for autistic teenagers include:

  • working out what other people are thinking and feeling
  • understanding facial expressions and body language
  • adjusting to new social situations
  • solving social problems, like what to do when you disagree with someone
  • understanding unwritten social rules
  • sharing interests with other teenagers.

Social skills help autistic teenagers build healthy relationships with peers and make friends , which is good for their self-esteem, wellbeing and sense of belonging.

Whether your autistic child has one or many friends or prefers to be on their own, social skills will help your child know how to act in different social situations – from talking to a shop assistant to being part of family gatherings or having fun at teenage parties.

Your child’s friendships are likely to follow their developmental stage, rather than their age in years. This means your child might be less interested in the social and emotional side of friendships than typically developing teenagers. You child’s friendships might be based more on shared interests than feelings.

Social skills strategies for autistic teenagers

You can use a range of strategies to help autistic teenagers develop their social skills. Some of these strategies can also help teenagers who prefer to be on their own but need to learn social skills for everyday situations. Strategies include:

  • self-management techniques
  • social groups
  • social media
  • social skills training
  • social stories

TV programs

  • video-modelling
  • visual supports

You and your child could role-play the skills you need when you’re in a shop, like saying hello, asking for what you want and saying thank you. You could also try something related to friendships, like asking a classmate to get together at the weekend.

You can ask your child what skills and situations they want to practise. Your child could also try role-playing with other family members or friends.

Self-management techniques

If your autistic child learns how to manage their own behaviour or what they need to do instead of relying on other people to prompt them, this can help your child develop social skills. Your child could record how often they do something using tick sheets, stickers or a wrist counter. For example, if your child is building their conversation skills, your child could tick a sheet after a conversation for each question they asked the other person.

Social groups

Your child might like to join a local social and recreational activity or group to meet other autistic teenagers, share experiences and make friends. These groups can be a great way for autistic teenagers to practise social skills and develop their understanding of social rules. Your  state autism service can help you find out about groups in your area.

Your child could also join a group based on their hobby or special interest. This can make socialising easier to start with, because it gives your child something to talk about.

Social media

Social media can help autistic teenagers connect with people they know from school or activity groups. It lets them take their time and think about what they want to say. It also takes away the need to read another person’s non-verbal communication.

Social skills training

Some autism therapies and supports are designed to teach and develop social skills. For example, Stop Think Do uses problem-solving strategies. The Secret Agent Society (SAS) is a program that you can get as a computer game, board game or group therapy sessions. The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) helps teenagers learn ways to make and keep friends.

If you encourage your child to have friends over and give your child and their friends a space in your home, this gives your child another way to practise social skills.

Social stories

Social stories can be useful for explaining social rules. For example, you could use a social story to explain what a social kiss is and when it’s appropriate.

Social stories can also help your child think about things from someone else’s point of view. For example, you could create a story about how your child might feel when they can’t do something they like doing, or how a friend might feel in the same situation.

Watching TV programs might give your child some ideas of how to act and not act in different social situations. You could record an episode of a TV show and pause it to talk about what your child would do next in that situation.

You can use everyday situations to encourage your child to see situations from another person’s perspective and understand how they’re feeling. Throughout the day, for example, tell your child how you’re feeling, and why you’re feeling that way. And you can ask your child to describe how they think you might be feeling. For example, ‘I dropped my piece of toast on the floor. How do you think I feel? How would you feel if that happened to you?’

Video-modelling

You can buy ready-made videos to help your child learn social skills, but you can also make your own.

For example, you could video:

  • two of your friends having a scripted conversation that shows how to start a conversation and what to say
  • your child taking turns, so that your child can watch themselves modelling the behaviour
  • people using facial expressions, body language, tone of voice and so on, so you can pause the video and talk about nonverbal communication with your child.

Visual supports

Pictures can show your autistic child what to look for in different social situations. For example, you could use pictures to show how people signal that they’re interested in having a conversation . The pictures might include someone looking at you and smiling, or someone looking away and yawning. You could use photos of different facial expressions and body language.

Prompt cards remind your autistic child what to do in different situations. For example, you could pass a ‘My turn’ card back and forth to practise taking turns in a conversation. Or your child could carry a prompt card that lists how to start and end a conversation.

You’ll probably need to go over these messages many times with your child. Try to be patient with your child – and yourself. You might find it helps to share experiences and get support from other parents. You could try online or face-to-face support groups for parents of autistic children and teenagers.

Enhancing social problem solving in children with autism and normal children through computer-assisted instruction

Affiliation.

  • 1 Department of Social Work and Psychology, National University of Singapore. [email protected]
  • PMID: 11569584
  • DOI: 10.1023/a:1010660502130

Children with autism have difficulty in solving social problems and in generating multiple solutions to problems. They are, however, relatively skilled in responding to visual cues such as pictures and animations. Eight distinct social problems were presented on a computer, along with a choice of possible solutions, and an option to produce alternative solutions. Eight preschool children with autism and eight matched normal children went through 10 training sessions interleaved with 6 probe sessions. Children were asked to provide solutions to animated problem scenes in all the sessions. Unlike the probe sessions, in the training sessions problem solutions were first explained thoroughly by the trainer. Subsequently these explanations were illustrated using dynamic animations of the solutions. Although children with autism produced significantly fewer alternative solutions compared to their normal peers, a steady increase across probe sessions was observed for the autistic group. The frequency of new ideas was directly predicted by the diagnostic category of autism. Results suggest young children with autism and their normal peers can be taught problem-solving strategies with the aid of computer interfaces. More research is required to establish whether such computer-assisted instruction will generalize to nontrained problem situations in real-life contexts.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Autistic Disorder / psychology*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Problem Solving*
  • Social Behavior*
  • Social Perception
  • Therapy, Computer-Assisted*

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to  upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

  • We're Hiring!
  • Help Center

paper cover thumbnail

Teaching Individuals with Autism Problem-Solving Skills for Resolving Social Conflicts

Profile image of Emma Moon 'student'

Behavior Analysis in Practice

Related Papers

Adrián Garrido Zurita

This study aims to examine the usefulness of an ad hoc worksheet for an Interpersonal Problem-Solving Skills Program (SCI-Labour) the effectiveness of which was tested by Bonete, Calero, and Fernández-Parra (2015). Data were taken from 44 adolescents and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (age M = 19.73; SD = 3.53; 39 men and 5 women; IQ M = 96.27, SD = 15.98), compared to a matched group (in age, sex, and nonverbal IQ) of 48 neurotypical participants. The task was conceived to promote the generalization of interpersonal problem-solving skills by thinking on different possible scenarios in the workplace after the training sessions. The results show lower scores in the worksheet delivered for homework (ESCI-Generalization Task) in the ASD Group compared to neurotypicals in total scores and all domains (Problem Definition, Quality of Causes, and Solution Suitability) prior to program participation. In addition, after treatment, improvement of the ASD Group was observed i...

social problem solving autism

Proceedings of the 4th International ICST Conference on Pervasive Computing Technologies for Healthcare

Rosa I Arriaga , Jackie Isbell

... B. Related Wark Social skills training interventions are an important part of the education of children with Asperger&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#x27;s syndrome and HF ASD. ... Following the Social Story&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#x27;s, format this passage was presented on a sheet of paper with brightly colored icons. ... The m_ing sta rts soon.&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#x27; ...

Journal of Autism and …

ΕΙΡΗΝΗ ΛΥΚΟΥ-ΧΑΪΔΗ

Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America

Patricia Prelock

Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Patrice Weiss

Angela Livingston

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by detrimental deficits in social communication and interaction, restrictive and repetitive patterns of behaviors, interest or activities. It is estimated that 70% of children with ASD suffer from uncontrollable behavioral outbursts that increase their peer isolation along with the stress of their caregivers. These uncontrollable and involuntary behaviors are stressful to the individual in many ways. This research study is being conducted to review the benefits of encouraging an increase in organized social activities between people with and without ASD in hopes that some of the uncontrollable behavioral outbursts that previously increased peer isolation will decrease or disappear over experience with organized social activities. Previous research on this study has been thoroughly reviewed and examined in order to gain a crucial understanding of this topic. The research potential from the interview style experiment will assist in future programs with the complete integration of children, adolescents, and young adults into the mainframe of society.

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

Revista de Investigación en Logopedia

Numerous studies reveal the benefits of early intervention for the adequate development of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Most of the interventions designed for people with ASD focus exclusively on a sole methodology. This study proposes a Combined Early Intervention Program (hereafter CEIP) using different methodologies with scientific evidence: Early Intensive Behavioral Interventions (EIBI), Early Start Denver Model (DENVER), spatial-temporal organization (TEACCH), augmentative communication systems (the Picture Exchange Communication System—PECS—, Total Communication Program, Picture Communication Symbols—PCS), behavioral strategies, and training of the parents. This CEIP contemplates intervention in areas that are typically affected in ASD: socialization, communication, symbolization, and behavioral flexibility, producing considerable improvement in the children&#39;s behavior, decreasing problem behaviors and improving social communication.

Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools

Linda R Watson

Purpose This study aimed to examine the initial efficacy of a parent-assisted blended intervention combining components of Structured TEACCHing and Social Thinking, designed to increase social communication and self-regulation concept knowledge in 1st and 2nd graders ( n = 17) diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their parents. Method A randomized delayed treatment control group design with pre- and postintervention assessments of both parents and children was implemented within a community practice setting. Two follow-up assessments at 3 and 6 months postintervention were also completed. Results Overall, results indicate that the intervention is efficacious in teaching social communication and self-regulation concept knowledge to children with ASD and their parents. Both parents and children demonstrated an increase in social communication and self-regulation knowledge after participating in the Growing, Learning, and Living With Autism Group as compared to a delayed t...

Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis

Lynn Koegel

RELATED PAPERS

Humanities & Social Sciences Reviews

Muhammad Sholihin

Tidsskrift for den Norske lægeforening : tidsskrift for praktisk medicin, ny række

Aina Westrheim Ravna

Dipayan Chakraborty

Kinga Wojaczek

Journal of leukocyte biology

Olivier Chiquet , Ioana Manea

Byron Johnson

Lecture Notes in Computer Science

phong nguyen

Journal of College Student Development

Ahi Evran Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü dergisi

gülen dağıstan

maida I watson

Revista JRG de Estudos Acadêmicos

alessandro aveni

مجلة المعيار

محمد عبد اللطيف شافعي

International Journal of Scientific & Technology Research

Arsalan Ansari

Valentin Kockel

Tanzeela Akram

  •   We're Hiring!
  •   Help Center
  • Find new research papers in:
  • Health Sciences
  • Earth Sciences
  • Cognitive Science
  • Mathematics
  • Computer Science
  • Academia ©2024

Can we help you find something?

Contact us today if you have any questions or suggestions.  We will work around the clock to assist you!

Confirmation

Contact us 24/7.

Autism Educators

  • Create an account

Icon cart

Engaging Work Tasks at Your Fingertips

Search through thousands of quality teaching materials that will help your students reach their learning goals.

View All or select a category.

  • Australia/UK
  • Digital No-Print Activities
  • Early Childhood
  • Fine Motor Skills
  • Gross Motor Skills
  • Holiday/Seasonal
  • IEP Goal Skill Builder Packets
  • Independent Functioning
  • Language/Speech
  • Learning Bags
  • Meet My Teacher
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Physical Education
  • PRINT and GO Resources
  • Social Skills
  • Social Studies
  • Task Box Filler Activities
  • Teacher Resources
  • Visual Schedules

Select a Domain

Select an IEP domain and you'll find thousands of  free IEP goals, along with teaching materials to help your students master each goal.

  • Academic - Math
  • Academic - Reading
  • Academic - Writing
  • Communication & Language
  • Social/Emotional

PRINT and GO Resource Sale

All of our PRINT and GO Resources are 20% off to help your students practice IEP goals and academic skills at home.

Add PRINT and GO Resources to your cart and apply coupon code PRINT to see the discount. Limited time offer.

  • Problem Solving
  • Free IEP Goal Bank

Transition Tasks File Folder Tasks for Transition Students Special Education

Our Mission

Our mission is to enhance special needs classrooms around the globe with engaging "hands-on" learning materials and to provide effective resources for Special Education teachers and therapists to share with their students.

[email protected]

Follow us on Facebook!

When you sign up for an account, you may choose to receive our newsletter with educational tips and tricks, as well as the occasional special freebie! Sign me up!

Information

  • About Us: What's Our Story?
  • Purchase Orders
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Returns & Exchanges

Customer Service

  • Education Team Members
  • Gift Vouchers
  • Order History
  • My Teacher's Wish List

social problem solving autism

Autism Educators, Inc. © 2012-2024

Speech Therapy Store

71+ Free Social Problem-Solving Scenarios

Do you have kiddos who struggle with their social problem-solving skills? Teach your students the simple process of how to solve a problem along with having them review how well their solution worked or didn’t work.

Learning to problem solve is an essential skill that is used not only throughout childhood but also into adulthood. Social problem solving is the ability to change or adapt to undesirable situations that arise throughout our day. On a daily basis, a child will encounter social problems that they will need to solve. Anything from arguing with another student, to hurting a friend’s feelings, to having a difficult conversation, or working with others.

Start with Small Problems

Many of the “problems” children encounter are often small problems which the child may be over-reacting to, such as wanting a different coloring crayon or wanting to be first in line, however, these small problems are still very real to the child. Practicing problem-solving with these small problems can be a great learning opportunity. Children can practice problem-solving with a small problem which can help them learn how to handle bigger problems in the future.

Problem Solving Importance

Social problem-solving skills are critical to a child’s social interactions, personal and professional relationships. A child’s ability to handle change, cope with stress, and handle challenges improves with a child’s ability to successfully solve social problems.

The ultimate goal is that the child will be able to solve social problems all on their own, but until they can independently solve a problem they will need to learn how to communicate and self-advocate to positively solve their problems.  

Students with Autism Problem Solving

Students with autism and other social challenges need to learn to problem solve as well. These social problem-solving skills will help them throughout their childhood and into their adulthood. Children can be taught how to problem solve through a guided process of breaking down the problem and using simple steps to solve the problem. Learning specific steps to problem-solving can allow children to remember how to solve a problem when they become overwhelmed or stressed. Although learning to solve a problem independently can take some time and practice it is well worth the investment to have a child who can eventually solve most social situations in a positive manner on their own.

Make Problem Solving Easier with this Freebie!

Download yours today to get started.

social problem solving autism

Problem Solving Form

Teach your students the 4 steps to becoming a social problem-solver.

  • Identify the problem. For instance, start by having your student identify the social problem.
  • Create three solutions. Also, have your student come up with three different solutions that they could use to solve the problem that they identified.
  • Identify the consequences. Then, identify the consequence for each individual solution.
  • Pick the best solution.  Lastly, have your student identify which of their three solutions is the best choice Then have your student put into words why they think that solution is the best solution.

Problem Solving Graphic Organizer

What we learnt about solving problems is don't freak out, if one thing doesn't work , try something else out. And work together as a team. #melthammathsweek #MELTHAMPUPILVOICE @problemsolveit pic.twitter.com/iVm1Im4Aue — yr6melthamce (@yr6melthamce) February 4, 2019

Problem Solving Review Form

After your students go through the social problem-solver have them use the social problem-solving review form.

  • What happened.  For instance, after your student tried their solution have them explain what happened next.
  • Review the results. Also, have your student identify whether or not their solution got them the results they wanted.
  • Use this solution again. Furthermore, have your student identify whether or not they would use this solution again in the future to solve the same or similar problem.
  • What would you do differently? Finally, have your student explain what they would do differently if they didn’t get the results they wanted or if they wouldn’t use that solution again in the future.

Problem-Solving-Review

71+ Social Problem Scenarios + 6 Blank Scenarios

Use the 71 social problem-solving scenarios to have your students get great experience practicing how to solve a social problem. Also, included are 6 blank scenarios. Then laminate them so you can use them over and over again. Therefore, create social problems that the student experiences and needs help solving.

Problem Solving Scenarios

Wordless Video teaching Problem Solving

Watch this super cute wordless animation with your students and have them discuss the problem they see and how to best solve the problem.

Use this as a fun practice example to get your students started towards learning how to problem-solve.

Demonstrate Through Modeling

  • Model and discuss empathy. First and foremost, children need to understand how another person might be feeling in a given situation in order to become a good social problem solver. The student needs to learn how to “stand in someone else’s shoes” for a little bit. One way you can work on this skill is during the reading time you can focus on how a particular character in the story might be feeling. Ask questions, such as, “How do they feel right now? How would you feel in that same situation? Why do you think they feel that way?”, etc.
  • Model problem-solving skills as the teacher. When you are faced with a problem you can solve the problem by thinking aloud for the students to hear how you solve a problem. You can state the problem, then come up with possible solutions, then identify the possible consequences to each solution, then pick and explain why a solution is the best option. For example, you could say, “I was hoping to take the class outside for a stress walk around the track before the reading test, but the problem is that it is raining outside. I could still take you outside, but then you will get wet, or we could walk the halls, but then we’d have to be really quiet because there are other classes learning, or we could just skip the walk and take the reading test, but then you might not do as well on the test. I think based on all of those solutions the best solution will be to walk the hallway, but you guys will have to promise to be quiet so that we don’t disrupt other classes. Modeling the problem-solving process can be very helpful for the students to watch, observe, and later implement themselves.

Teach Communication

  • Have students communicate how they are feeling . Teaching your students to share their emotions in a respectful way can improve their ability to problem-solve. Have students use an “I” sentence frame, such as, “I feel _____ (insert feeling word) when _____ (identify what made you feel that way).” For example, “I felt sad when Jackson broke my favorite pencil” or “I was mad when I wasn’t picked to be first in line. “This way students can communicate how they are feeling using honest and open communication. Teaching students to appropriately communicate their emotions can help solve some social problems from the beginning.

Encourage Independency

  • Encourage your student to problem solve. If your student is struggling to problem solve independently encourage them to do so using open-ended questions, such as “How could you fix this problem?” “What would be a fair solution?” “What would happen if you used that solution?”, etc.
  • Let the student try to problem solve independently. Give your students the space to try and solve their own problems using the guided strategies. Try not to come running to their rescue for every little problem. Some problems are small and a great opportunity for the student to learn and practice. If an adult does all of the problem solving for a student then what are they really learning. Give your students the time and space they need to practice solving small problems on their own. Of course, if it is a bigger or more serious problem then have an adult help guide the problem-solving process.
  • Tell an adult. Remind your students that there are still some problems that are too big for them to solve on their own and that it is okay to get help from an adult to solve big problems. For example, if the student doesn’t feel safe, someone is being hurt physically or emotionally, or if they tried to solve a problem independently but it didn’t work and they need help. Let them know that it’s okay to tell an adult.

Teach How to Disagree and How to Make Up

  • Discuss how to disagree respectfully. Remind your student that they won’t always agree with their teacher, friends, classmate, or parents and that’s okay. Even the people we like might have different opinions, interests, and likes than we do. However, even if we disagree with someone we should still treat them with respect. Treating someone with respect means to not call them names, ignore them, yell or hit them. It means that you do try to create solutions that both parties can agree with and to apologize when we hurt others’ feelings.
  • Role-play how to make up. Practice in everyday life how to make up after a social problem .

Get your free social problem solver today!

I hope you and your students love this freebie!

Students are really having to stretch their brains today. It's @NSPCC #NumberDay and @problemsolveit are challenging Y9 and 10 to solve the escape room boxes. It's not as easy as it looks! The promise of a few sweet treats for the winners seems to be helping though! pic.twitter.com/AxRRJnJIv2 — CongletonHS (@CongletonHS) February 2, 2018

Have your students use task card scenarios to help them identify how they and others might feel in different social scenarios. Be sure to discuss the problem, identify possible solutions, identify the consequences of those possible solutions, and then based on those consequences pick the best solution. Make social problem-solving a game by telling the students that they are social detectives and that it is their job to use what they know about social rules to help them identify the possible and best solutions. Start practicing today with 71+ free social problem social task cards! Do your students need more practice? Be sure to check out my other freebie for 31 wordless animated videos to teach problem-solving and so much more.

Get More Problem Solving Time Saving Materials

Next, be sure to check out the following time-saving materials to continue to teach your students how to solve their social problems in addition to this freebie.

Weekly Social Pragmatics Homework

Social Pragmatics Homework

  • Weekly problem-solving.   Send home a  weekly homework page  that includes a problem-solving scenario plus an idiom and a conversational practice scenario.

Weekly Social Pragmatics

Restorative Justice Problem Solving Flip Book

Restorative Justice

  • Restorative justice graphic visual.  Use this graphic visual to help your student  restore a social relationship  after a social problem.

restorative justice

Self-Advocating Role-Play Scenarios

Self Advocating

  • Self-advocating in high school.  Teach your high schoolers the process to  self-advocate  for what they need.

Self Advocating Practice

5th-12th Grade Life Skills Problem Solving

Life Skills Social Skills

  • Life skills problem-solving.  In addition, this  life skills differentiated bundle  includes a problem-solving lesson plan.

social problem solving autism

I recommend you read Problem Solving Wheel: Help Kids Solve Their Own Problems , 61+ Free Fillable SLP Planner Pages 2020-2021 , 430+ Free Multisyllabic Words List Activity Bundle , or 432+ Free IEP Goal Bank to Save You Time posts because they include freebies as well and who doesn’t want more freebies!

Got questions? Leave a comment. Let’s chat!

Monday 30th of January 2023

Hello! I have entered my name and email twice (yesterday & today) to receive to 71+ Free Social Problem-Solving Senarios, but I have not received anything yet. Not even an email back to mine in order to subcribe. Thanks for your help! Tracy

Melissa Berg

Tuesday 31st of January 2023

Hi Tracy, Thanks so much for reaching out! Sorry about that. We went ahead and sent you an email with the PDF attached. Wishing you all my best, Melissa

Problem Solving Skills

Tuesday 30th of August 2022

I truly love your site. Excellent colors, theme and writing. Thanks for sharing.

Laura Ricca

Monday 11th of April 2022

Tuesday 12th of April 2022

Hi Laura, I'm glad you found this resource helpful. Melissa

Modified Mental Health and Suicide Prevention - Speech Therapy Store

Monday 11th of May 2020

[…] 71+ FREE SOCIAL PROBLEM-SOLVING SCENARIOS […]

Problem Solving Wheel: Help Kids Solve Their Own Problems - Speech Therapy Store

Monday 4th of May 2020

[…] 71+ Free Social Problem Solving Task Cards Scenarios […]

  • Type 2 Diabetes
  • Heart Disease
  • Digestive Health
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • COVID-19 Vaccines
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Healthy Aging
  • Health Insurance
  • Public Health
  • Patient Rights
  • Caregivers & Loved Ones
  • End of Life Concerns
  • Health News
  • Thyroid Test Analyzer
  • Doctor Discussion Guides
  • Hemoglobin A1c Test Analyzer
  • Lipid Test Analyzer
  • Complete Blood Count (CBC) Analyzer
  • What to Buy
  • Editorial Process
  • Meet Our Medical Expert Board

High-Functioning Autism: The Challenges of Managing HFA Symptoms

Living With HFA, Previously Diagnosed as Asperger’s Syndrome

  • What Is HFA?

People with autism who have low support needs (previously called high-functioning autism or Asperger's syndrome) may not need as much support as other autistic people; however, they may still find some day-to-day activities a challenge. Since autism is a spectrum disorder, this means people have a wide range of needs and abilities.

Autistic adults and children with low support needs share traits that can lead to differences with their neurotypical peers. These include experiencing sensory overload, not understanding social cues, and difficulty controlling emotions.

This article discusses the common challenges for autistic people with low support needs.  

What Is High Functioning Autism?

Autism with low support needs describes what was once known as high-functioning autism (HFA), an unofficial term used for people whose autism traits appear mild. The official diagnostic term is autism spectrum disorder (ASD) level 1.

Is Asperger's the Same as HFA?

Asperger's syndrome is no longer used as a diagnosis or a way to categorize autism.

In the past, people who were told they had "Asperger’s” had some features of autism but had an average or higher-than-average IQ and age-appropriate language skills. 

Asperger's was removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 2013 when the fifth edition (DSM-5) was published. Now, people with autism labeled as “high functioning” are usually diagnosed with Level 1 ASD.

Today, the severity of autism spectrum disorder is described by a level from 1 to 3 , based on how much support a person needs:

  • Level 1 requires some support.
  • Level 2 requires substantial support.
  • Level 3 requires very substantial support.

People with autism now are evaluated and described on the basis of these support needs rather than a level of function. In the autism community, functioning labels are discouraged because they can be misleading. A person can be able to function independently in some areas but require significant support in other areas.

People labeled as high-functioning can often have significant needs that are overlooked. It's preferred to describe people in terms of their support needs rather than function.

Educators and professionals should be made aware of the invisible challenges for autistic people with low support needs. These include sensory issues, emotional regulation, social skills,  executive functioning , verbal communication, and mood disorders.

It’s also important to remember that autistic children with low support needs grow into adults with low support needs. Even adults with ASD-1 who are mostly independent can still have support needs. 

Symptoms of High-Functioning Autism

The symptoms of autistic adults and children with low support needs vary but generally fall into certain categories.

  • Experiencing sensory overload
  • Having trouble figuring out or picking up on social cues
  • Anxiety or mood disorders
  • Challenges with organization
  • Difficulty controlling emotions
  • Differences in verbal communication
  • Challenges with back-and-forth conversation
  • Trouble with social relationships
  • Repetitive actions and self-stimulating behaviors (stimming or stims) 
  • Limited interests
  • Highly sensitive

Some people with high-functioning autism only experience mild challenges in their lives because of these symptoms. Others find that these symptoms make certain aspects of their lives, like socializing and work, more difficult to undertake without help. 

Sensory Differences

Many autistic people have sensory processing disorder, which is also called  sensory overload .

Noise, crowds, bright lights, strong tastes, smells, and being touched can all be unbearable to a person with HFA.

Activities like going to restaurants, movies, and shopping malls can be difficult or even intolerable for people who experience sensory overload. Relatively simple acts like putting on socks or being hugged can be also challenging for someone with sensory processing differences.

These sensory differences are not something that an autistic person will outgrow. If an autistic person had sensory sensitivities as a child, they’ll still have them as an adult. 

However, they may learn coping strategies that make them a little easier to navigate. For example, some people with autism learn to tolerate sensory challenges in their environments by using skills they learn in sensory occupational therapy.

Social Awkwardness

People with HFA can have a hard time  recognizing social cues  and body language.

People with HFA may find interacting with others confusing or challenging because they have a hard time:

  • Understanding appropriate greetings
  • Knowing when to let someone else talk
  • Regulating the tone and volume of their voice

Social awkwardness can be a major obstacle to making friends, finding and keeping a job, and dating for autistic people.

Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety , depression, and other mental health conditions are common in people with autism, including people who have been labeled “high-functioning.” In fact, studies suggest that people with HFA are more likely to be diagnosed with a mood disorder than the general population.  

It’s not clear why these disorders are connected. Some researchers think autism and mental health conditions could have certain things in common, like genetics or environment. It’s also possible that the social rejection and discrimination autistic people face lead to anxiety and depression. 

Executive Planning Challenges

Executive functioning is a term for the skills people use to organize and plan their lives. This includes tasks like making and sticking to schedules or following a timeline to complete a long-term project.

Many people with HFA have trouble with executive functioning. They may face challenges in caring for things in their living space (like chores and grocery shopping) and have a hard time coping with even minor schedule changes at school or work.

Emotional Dysregulation

People with autism can feel extreme emotions. They may appear to overreact in some situations yet under-react in others.

When something unpredictable happens, it can be hard for an autistic person to control their response because the change makes them feel strong emotions. The transition from one setting or activity to the next can be challenging for them to get through. 

For example, a person with high-functioning autism may burst into tears if there's an unexpected change in plans or get agitated if their routine is thrown off.

Difficulty With Verbal Communication

A child with autism deemed high-functioning will typically not have problems understanding language. Tasks like learning individual words, grammar rules, and vocabulary may not present any challenges for them—in fact, they may even do very well with them.

However, the use of language to communicate can be where challenges start to show up. Someone with HFA may have trouble understanding sarcasm, metaphors, or idioms—what’s called “pragmatic" language.

Some people with HFA may struggle to talk when they are under stress or overwhelmed. 

The process of diagnosing autism spectrum disorder often starts in childhood. In some cases, people with autism who do not have as many support needs may go through most of their young lives without ever being diagnosed. 

Sometimes, a person who is considered to have high-functioning autism or was told they had “Asperger’s” as a child does not get a formal autism diagnosis until adulthood. 

Getting an autism diagnosis as an adult can be a difficult and lengthy process. The first step is to find a psychologist or psychiatrist who works with adults with autism. Sometimes, a mental health professional can diagnose autism in adults by asking questions and observing responses for common autistic traits.

A more formal autism evaluation includes forms that you will have to fill out. In some cases, additional forms are filled out by people who know you well, like your partner, relative, close friend, or employer (with your consent).

Self-Diagnosis

Getting diagnosed with autism as an adult is not always possible because there are many barriers, like cost and access.

Within the autism community, there is growing acceptance of self-diagnosis, especially for people who have less access to a formal diagnosis and those less likely to have been diagnosed as a child (for example, people who identify as women and racial/ethnic minorities). 

Support for High Functioning Autism

Once a person learns they are on the autism spectrum, they can talk to their providers about how much support or help they need to go about their day-to-day lives.

Some adults with high-functioning autism do not need much, if any, outside help (for example, from caregivers or formal support from community services). Others may need help with certain tasks, like organizing their budget, staying on top of personal care and appointments, and finding employment. 

It’s also possible that an autistic person’s support needs will change, even if they are told they are “high-functioning.” 

For example, during times of stress or crisis, a person with autism may need more help than they usually do. Just like someone who is not autistic, someone with high-functioning autism might need more help and support if they’re sick or hurt, or going through a big life change. 

A support network is crucial. People with autism may not always recognize that they need more help, but their loved ones may pick up on signs that they're not coping well. 

People might need extra support if they find:

  • They let chores go unfinished and pile up (after previously having ways to keep up with them).
  • They’re spending more time involved with their specific interests as an “escape.”
  • They’re doing more self-stimulatory behaviors (stimming) to try to feel better.

Even if a person with high-functioning autism recognizes they need more help, because they have been labeled as having low support needs, they may not feel like they are allowed to ask for more. They may feel guilty or ashamed for needing more support. 

Black-and-white thinking can also make it harder for an autistic person to accept that their needs have changed and no longer “fit” the label they were given. Even if it’s only temporary, the “mismatch” can be very distressing and confusing. 

It’s important that an autistic person has a support plan in place with their loved ones and care team to make sure they will be able to have the help they need. They need to feel safe about asking for and accepting more support when they need it.

Many autistic people benefit from working with a caring team of medical and mental health professionals who can help them navigate the challenges and joys that autism can bring. 

It’s also important for different providers to be part of an autistic person’s support network because they may have mental health disorders (such as avoidant restrictive food intake disorder or ARFID) and physical health conditions (like gastrointestinal disorders) that commonly co-occur with autism.

Depending on the type of support a person with high-functioning autism needs, treatments like  speech-language therapy  and social skills training can address some of the challenges they’re facing and give them the resources they need to be empowered in their lives and able to do the things they want to do. 

Even though functioning labels like “high-functioning autism” and “Asperger’s” are less common today, many providers still use them to talk about people living with autism.

Autism is a spectrum disorder not just in terms of the symptoms a person experiences, but how much support they need to live their lives independently and fully.

A person with “high-functioning” autism does not necessarily need no help—they just might not need as much assistance as another person with autism.

That said, in times of stress or crisis, even a person with autism who usually has lower needs can benefit from more help. That’s why it’s important to have a support network that includes caregivers, mental health providers, and healthcare providers. 

Barahona-Corrêa JB, Filipe CN. A Concise History of Asperger Syndrome: The Short Reign of a Troublesome Diagnosis . Front Psychol. 2016 Jan 25;6:2024. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.02024.

American Psychiatric Association.  Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , 5th ed . Washington, DC; 2013.

Schevdt S, Needham I.  Possible signs of sensory overload .  Psychiatr Prax.  2017 Apr;44(3):28-133. doi:10.1055/s-0042-118988

National Institute of Mental Health. Autism Spectrum Disorder .

Lake JK, Perry A, Lunsky Y. Mental health services for individuals with high functioning autism spectrum disorder .  Autism Res Treat . 2014;2014:502420. doi:10.1155/2014/502420

The Adult Autism Center. Autism and executive function .

Asperger/Autism Network (AANE).  Asperger profiles: Emotions and empathy .

National Institute on Deafness and Other Hearing Disorders.  Autism Spectrum Disorder: Communication in Children .

University of Washington. Self-diagnosis-friendly resources and communitie s.

ARFID Awareness UK. AFRID & Autism .

Williams DL, Mazefsky CA, Walker JD, Minshew NJ, Goldstein G. Associations between conceptual reasoning, problem solving, and adaptive ability in high-functioning autism .  J Autism Dev Disord . 2014;44(11):2908–2920. doi:10.1007/s10803-014-2190-y

By Lisa Jo Rudy Lisa Jo Rudy, MDiv, is a writer, advocate, author, and consultant specializing in the field of autism.

U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

  • Publications
  • Account settings
  • Advanced Search
  • Journal List
  • Iran J Public Health
  • v.51(10); 2022 Oct

Mediating Role of Social Problem-Solving on the Relationship between Autistic Traits and Depression in a Non-Clinical Iranian Sample

Zahra salehzadeh einadab.

1. Clinical Psychology Department, Faculty of Humanities, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran

Mahshid Mojtahedzadeh

2. Clinical Psychology Department, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Kharazmi University, Karaj, Iran

Elaheh Khalili

3. Clinical Psychology Department, Faculty of Humanities, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran

Barbara Dristchel

4. School of Psychology & Neuroscience, Westburn Lane, St Andrews, Fife, United Kingdom

Bijan Pirnia

5. Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University od Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Background:

Research on the role of social problem-solving in the relationship between autistic traits and depression is still in its nascent stage and more detailed research is required.

We aimed to investigate the mediating role of problem-solving in the relationship between autistic traits and depression. A sample of 376 university students were assessed on depression, problem-solving and autism-spectrum quotient in 2019 at Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.

Social problem-solving played the role of a partial mediator in the relationship between autistic traits and depression. Positive problem orientation and negative problem-solving style fully mediated the effects of autistic traits on depression.

Conclusion:

Since people with autistic traits have deficits in problem-solving strategies, they may be vulnerable to symptoms of depression. Increasing the ability of positive problem-solving and decreasing negative problem orientation may serve as a buffer against depression in people with autistic traits.

Introduction

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is defined by impairments, including repetitive and restricted interests, activities, and deficits in social interaction and social communication ( 1 ). High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (HFASD) is applied to people with ASD that have average or above-average levels of intelligence. The quantitative approach to autistic traits resulted in the development of a questionnaire called the Autism-spectrum Quotient (AQ) ( 2 ) to quantify autistic traits in people that have normal intelligence ( 3 ). AQ is a sensitive measure of autistic traits in the general population ( 2 ), suggesting that traits reaching a clinical level in autism can be seen to a lesser degree in nonclinical sample ( 2 ). The mean AQ score was 16.94 for the nonclinical sample ( 4 ). People with more autistic traits tend to be susceptible to milder versions of many psychiatric difficulties ( 5 ).

Depression and autistic traits

People with autistic traits have deficits in social skills. This deficit plays a significant role in depression, so it is not surprising that depression is one of the most common disorders among people with autistic traits ( 6 ). Depression is common in this population ( 7 ). Depression is the most common disorder that occurs in individuals with ASD ( 6 , 8 ). The average or even higher IQ level increases the likelihood of depression ( 6 ). People with HFASD have higher levels of IQ, leading to increased awareness of their problems in social interactions that is the predictor of the depression ( 9 , 10 ).

The role of social problem solving in the relationship between Depression and autistic traits

Increasingly, researchers suggest a significant relationship between autistic traits and deficiency in social problem-solving ( 11 , 12 ). Problem-solving refers to a cognitive-behavioral process through which the individual finds appropriate and useful solutions for a specific problem. Not only does the cognitive-behavioral process provide access to appropriate potential solutions, but also it increases the possibility of choosing the most appropriate solution among all solutions ( 13 ). The social problem-solving is a mediator in the relationship between life events and psychological compatibility ( 14 ). A significant relationship between the psychological well-being and the problem-solving skill is reported ( 15 ). On the other hand, impairment in social problem-solving was associated with depressive symptoms ( 16 ).

Only two studies addressed the mediating role of social problem-solving in the relationship between depression and autistic traits ( 11 , 12 ), and they were conducted in Western cultures, while cultural differences can affect social problem solving ( 17 ) and manifestation of autistic phenotypes ( 18 ). Rosbrook and Whittingham ( 12 ) did not examine the mediating role of social problem-solving components in the relationship between depression and autistic traits.

A previous research highlighted the importance of two problem-solving styles, including positive problem-solving and negative problem orientation. Positive problem-solving appraisal is related to less depression ( 19 ). Participants that adopt a positive approach to problems had less depression. Individuals with a negative problem orientation tend to doubt their capability of problem-solving, consider a problem as a danger and threat to well-being, feel distressed when faced with a problem ( 20 ). Negative problem-solving orientation is also correlated with depression ( 12 , 21 , 22 ). Surprisingly, researchers did not found the moderating role of a negative problem orientation in the relationship between depression and life events ( 23 ). While previous studies show the importance of problem orientation in depression ( 6 , 7 , 8 , 11 , 12 ), no study has examined the role of positive problem orientation in the relationship between autistic traits and depression.

It is not clear to what extent deficits in social problem-solving skills can explain increased vulnerability to depression in people with autistic traits in Eastern cultures. We tried to investigate which components of social problem-solving have a mediating role in the relationship between autistic traits and depression.

Materials and Methods

Study design.

We conducted a descriptive research.

Setting and sample

A cluster sampling approach was used. Data were collected in the academic year 2019. Participants were selected from faculties of Humanities, Basic Science, Engineering, and Agriculture in Shahed University, Tehran, Iran. Several classes were selected from these faculties. Then, the sample was selected from the classes.

This study was approved by Ethics Committee, Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University od Medical Sciecnes, Tehran, Iran (1399.785). Students provided written information about the research and asked if they wished to participate. Participants were informed about the result of the study. Anonymity and privacy of respondents were guaranteed.

The inclusion criteria were as follows: (a) participants were aged between 18–30; (b) ; bachelor and master students were participated in this study ; (c) residency in Tehran. The exclusion criteria were as follows: (a) those who did not want to participate in this study; (b) PhD students .

Overall, 350 participants were selected. Therefore, 450 questionnaires were distributed, and 74 incomplete questionnaires were deleted from final analysis. The sample included 172 female and 204 male students with a mean age of 22.23 (SD = 2.70) year. Overall, 142 students from Engineering, 101 students from Humanities, 109 students from Agriculture, and 24 students from Basic Sciences faculties participated in this research.

Measurements

Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II): BDIII was developed by Beck, Steer, and Brown ( 24 ). The items are rated on a four-point scale, ranging from 0 to 3. The retest reliability of BDI-II ranged from 0.73 to 0.96 ( 25 ). Internal consistency was approximately 0.9. In terms of validity there was a quite high overlap with different measures of depression and anxiety, ranging from 0.66 to 0.86 ( 25 ). Studies showed a retest reliability of .74, and good Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, ranging from .87 to .91 in Iran ( 26 , 27 ). Content validity of BDIII was also confirmed in these studies ( 26 , 27 ). In current study, the BDI-II demonstrated good internal consistency (a= .89).

The Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ): AQ was developed and it is a 50-item self-report questionnaire that measures the degree to which an adult with normal intelligence has the autistic traits ( 2 ). The AQ has five dimensions, including social skills, attention switch, communication, attention to detail, as well as imagination. Respondents are offered a four-point response scale from Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree. Researchers divided the four-point scale into a dichotomous 0 versus 1 scoring scheme. Definitely agree or slightly agree responses to some questions score 1 point, and definitely disagree or slightly disagree responses to some questions score 1 point. ‘Clinical’ threshold of ⩾32 was reported ( 2 ). Researchers reported adequate internal consistency only in one domains of AQ. An adequate alpha coefficient (higher than .70) was reported for the social domain (0.77). The marginal alpha coefficients were reported for other domains ( 2 ). Another study using factor analysis showed the AQ consists of five dimensions ( 28 ), and has inadequate alpha coefficient. In Iran, the test-retest reliability of this questionnaire was .82 and Cronbach's alpha for the internal consistency was 0.76 ( 29 ). Coefficient alpha of AQ was 0.65 in current study.

Social Problem Solving Inventory-revised long form (SPSI-R): SPSI-R has 52 items and five factors, including positive problem orientation, rational problem solving, negative problem orientation, impulsive/careless, and avoidance styles ( 30 ). It assesses ability to solve problems in everyday life. The coefficient alphas for these subscales ranged from 0.68 to 0.91 ( 31 ). The construct validity was assessed and confirmed by using the Scale of Life Satisfaction. A study confirmed psychometric properties of SPSI-R in Iran ( 33 ). The SPSI-R demonstrated good internal consistency, with coefficient alpha ranging from 0.71 to 0.91. Similarly, factor analysis showed five factors ( 32 ). In current study, the SPSI-R demonstrated good internal consistency ( α =0 .85).

Statistical analysis

Statistical analyses were performed via SPSS-23 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Path model analysis was assessed using SEM in AMOS-24. The model was evaluated with these criteria: Chi-square (χ 2 ); χ 2 /df with χ 2 being greater than 0.05 and with χ 2 /df being less than 2; Goodness-of-fit index (GFI) being greater than 0.90; adjusted goodness of fit index (AGFI) being greater than 0.90; standardized root mean square residual (SRMR); Bollen’s Incremental Fit index (IFI) being greater than 0.90; Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) being greater than 0.90; Bentler-Bonett Normed Fit Index (NFI) being greater than 0.90; Parsimonious Fit Indices: Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) and PCLOSE. To test the significance of indirect effects we used Process macro in SPSS (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) and The Process macro computes the indirect effect by calculating the product of coefficients. The significance of social problem-solving’s mediation role was examined with PROCESS and bootstrapping methods.

Descriptive statistics and correlation among variables

Table 1 shows descriptive statistics, and Table 2 shows the Pearson correlation coefficients between the variables.

Descriptive Statistics and Pearson Correlations

Matrix of Correlation among Autism-Spectrum traits, problem-solving, and depression

Note: N=376

The mediating effect of problem solving in the relationship between autistic traits and depression

The total effect of autistic traits on depression was .18 ( Fig. 1 ).

An external file that holds a picture, illustration, etc.
Object name is IJPH-51-2340-g001.jpg

When indirect effects through the shared relationship among autistic traits, depression, and social problem-solving were controlled for, the amount of effect was 0.13. The relationship between autistic traits and depression was not reduced to zero after controlling for social problem solving, indicating a partial mediation. Hence, the significance of social problem-solving’s mediation role in the relationship between autistic traits and depression was measured with the PROCESS in SPSS-23 and bootstrapping in AMOS-24. In the both methods standardized indirect effect ( b = 0.134) supports the significance of this partial mediation beyond the 0.05 level ( Table 3 ).

The significance of the standardized indirect effect of social problem-solving’s mediation role

The mediating effect of problem solving styles

The tested path model included intercorrelations among the autistic traits and the two social problem-solving components (positive problem orientation and negative problem orientation). Direct paths were included from autistic traits to two social problem-solving components (as autistic traits such as deficit in social skills and communication will influence individuals' confidence in their capability to solve the social problems, and the orientations with which they react to that problems; 11) and depression. Therefore, direct paths were included from autistic traits to both Negative problem orientation, positive problem orientation. Finally, direct paths were included from these two social problem-solving components to depression (since the social outcomes, which are caused by these problem-solving strategies, are theoretically able to lead to distress). Negative problem solving orientation mediated the relationship between autistic traits and depression (95% CI [0.162, 0.289]). Positive problem solving orientation mediated the relationship between autistic traits and depression (95% CI [0.069, 0.015]). The relationship between autistic traits and depression was not significant after controlling for positive and negative social problem solving orientations, suggesting a full mediation ( Fig. 2 ).

An external file that holds a picture, illustration, etc.
Object name is IJPH-51-2340-g002.jpg

The mediating effect of positive problem solving style and negative problem solving style in the relationship between autistic traits and depression

This study showed a significant relationship between autistic traits and depression in general population. This finding is consistent with previous results ( 6 , 7 , 8 , 11 , 12 ). The deficits in social skills in people with autistic traits may lead to negative consequences, such as social dysfunction and low self-efficacy ( 33 – 36 ). Increased awareness of the deficit in interaction and communication leads to depression in people with HFASD ( 37 ), and autistic traits ( 11 ). Since people with autistic traits have socially unskilled behaviors and unusual behaviors and interests, they may be at increased risk for isolation, loneliness, victimization, rejection, hostile aggression, mood problems, academic failure, and anxiety ( 38 ).

This study showed social problem-solving mediates the relationship between autistic traits and depression. This finding is consistent with previous researches in western cultures ( 11 , 12 ). The deficits in problem-solving skills are considered as a crucial vulnerability factor for depression ( 39 ). In highly stressful situations, these deficits result in coping attempts that are ineffective, increasing the possibility of depression. Depressed people have difficulties in problem-solving skills, leading to stressful consequences ( 39 ). Subjects were shown with autistic traits solved their problem slower, and they showed more irrelevant behaviors ( 40 ). In highly stressed situations, people with effective social problem strategies had experienced lower depressive symptoms ( 41 ). Additionally, the effectiveness of problem-solving therapy was shown in depression ( 42 ).

The current study significantly expanded th e boundaries of knowledge on the role of problem-solving styles in the relationship between autistic traits and depression. This research showed that negative problem-solving style and positive problem-solving style mediated the relationship between autistic traits and depression. Some studies show that negative problem-solving style has the strongest correlation with depression ( 16 ). Negative problem-solving style was predictive of more depression 3 months later ( 22 ). Negative problem orientation is a mediating variable between depression and everyday problems ( 43 ). Problem solving accounts to a significant degree for the relationship between depression and everyday problems. Although all of problem-solving dimensions were related to depression, negative problem solving contributed most to the mediating effect ( 43 ). Negative problem solving is considered as a dysfunctional cognitive-emotional tendency, including a lower level of tolerance for frustration, doubting one’s own problem-solving abilities, interpreting a problem as a threat, as well as anticipating negative problem-solving outcomes. Negative problem orientation mediated the link between autistic traits and depression in general population ( 11 ). Since a negative problem orientation means that problems have a threatening psychological significance, it is thought to have a direct effect on psychological well-being ( 43 ).

Positive problem-solving style mediated the relationship between autistic traits and depression. Positive problem-solving appraisal is related to less depression ( 44 ), and assesses useful tendencies to deal with a problem with a positive attitude, to consider it as a challenge rather than a burden, and to solve problems in a logical and consistent way which uses the generation of other solutions and means–ends thinking ( 23 ) . Alternative solutions and positive problem orientation moderate the relationship between depression and life events (23 ) . Participants that adopt an active and positive approach to problems have less depression. They are protected from depression by perceiving the problems as an opportunity, leading to persistence in seeking a solution. This can result in a sense of perceived control over the situation or self-efficacy, serving as a buffer against depression (23 ) . Appraisals, negative life events, and their interactions accounted for 87% of the variance in depression scores ( 41 ). Lower levels of positive problem-solving orientation and higher levels of negative problem-solving orientation accounted for the variance in depression scores in participants with autistic traits. Their cognitive ability provides them with understanding of their social difficulties and challenges and their inability to fit in with others ( 45 ).This leads to ongoing failures, resulting in a sense of hopelessness and loneliness ( 46 ). Not only hopelessness is related to depression, but also higher levels of effective problem solving are correlated with lower levels of hopelessness ( 47 ). A negative problem orientation is the most highly related to hopelessness and depression, followed by a positive problem-solving style ( 15 ).

Limitations and future directions

This research had some limitations. First, only students participated in this study. This limits the generalizability of the results. In AQ, ‘clinical’ threshold of ⩾32 was reported ( 2 ), and a study showed mean AQ score was 16.94 for the nonclinical sample ( 4 ), and the mean score of AQ in this study was 20.305 (5.21). The mean score of depression in this study was 12.30 (9.64), and scores between 0 and 13 fall in the range of minimal depression. Second, researchers have pointed out that the AQ as compared to other questionnaires measuring autistic traits has lower validity and weaker function ( 48 ). The criterion validity of AQ is also lower than the other questionnaires. Therefore, it is suggested that future researches investigate the role of social problem-solving skills in depression in clinical population.

After entering positive and negative social problem solving, the relationship between autistic traits and depression was not significant. Participants that adopt a positive approach to problems had less depression. Individuals with a negative problem orientation tend to doubt their capability of problem-solving, consider a problem as a danger and threat to well-being, and feel distressed when faced with a problem.

Journalism Ethical considerations

Ethical issues (Including plagiarism, informed consent, misconduct, data fabrication and/or falsification, double publication and/or submission, redundancy, etc.) have been completely observed by the authors.

Acknowledgements

No financial support has been received.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

IMAGES

  1. How Social Problem Solving and Social Skills Deficits in Autism Impact

    social problem solving autism

  2. Problem Solving Printable Flash Cards Social Skills Cards

    social problem solving autism

  3. Posters to support problem solving and conflict resolution in preschool

    social problem solving autism

  4. Solving Social & Behavior Problems in Autism

    social problem solving autism

  5. Evidence-Based Practices for Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum

    social problem solving autism

  6. ideas autism centre

    social problem solving autism

COMMENTS

  1. Social Problem Solving: Best Practices for Youth with ASD

    A particularly well-known SIP model developed by Crick and Dodge (1994) describes six stages of information processing that children cycle through when evaluating a particular social situation: encoding (attending to and encoding the relevant cues), interpreting (making a judgment about what is going on), clarifying goals (deciding what their go...

  2. Teaching Individuals with Autism Problem-Solving Skills for Resolving

    Resolving social conflicts is a complex skill that involves consideration of the group when selecting conflict solutions. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have difficulty resolving social conflicts, yet this skill is important for successful social interaction, maintenance of relationships, and functional integration into society. This study used a nonconcurrent multiple ...

  3. PDF Teaching Individuals with Autism Problem-Solving Skills for ...

    Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have difficulty resolving social conflicts, yet this skill is important for successful social interaction, maintenance of relationships, and functional integration into society.

  4. Teach social problem solving

    Some students, including those on the autism spectrum, may benefit from systematic instruction in helpful strategies for social problem solving. Social problems can be as simple as turn-taking, and as complex as bullying. Instruction helps students to understand: what a social problem is how to recognise a social problem

  5. The Problem Solver: A Behavioral Intervention for Teaching Problem

    Problem-solving is a skill of fundamental importance for populations with developmental delays, and especially for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Training students with ASD to solve ill-defined problems is a challenging objective for educational and therapeutic teams.

  6. How Social Problem Solving and Social Skills Deficits in Autism Impact

    00:00:00 00:11:54 In this episode, I am exploring how social skills deficits, and specifically difficulties with social problem solving, impact the behavior of students with autism, particularly those who are working in general education classrooms.

  7. Mentalising and social problem solving in adults with Asperger's

    It has been established that children and adults with Asperger's syndrome (AS) and high-functioning autism (HFA) sometimes pass both first-order belief tasks (involving inference that a story character's beliefs are diverging with reality) and second-order false belief tasks (involving inference about someone's false attribution of belief) (e.g....

  8. Social Skills Training for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders

    Social skill deficits are a pervasive and enduring feature of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). As such, social skills training (SST) should be a critical component of programming for youth with ASD. A number of SST strategies exist, including those employing social stories, video modeling interventions, social problem solving, pivotal response ...

  9. Social Cognitive Interventions for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum

    1. Introduction. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) with diagnostic criteria specifying persistent deficits in social communication, social interaction, and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).The prevalence of ASD in the U.S. has been on the rise, reaching a recent ...

  10. How to Improve Social Problem Solving in Autism with Social Autopsies

    00:00:00 00:14:07 As I talked about in Episode 69, students with high functioning autism struggle with social problem solving. Many of their behavioral challenges stem from difficulties with problem solving the many social situations they navigate each day in school and in their communities.

  11. Teaching Individuals with Autism Problem-Solving Skills for ...

    Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have difficulty resolving social conflicts, yet this skill is important for successful social interaction, maintenance of relationships, and functional integration into society.

  12. PDF Evidence-Based Practice Brief: Social Skills Groups

    conversation skills, friendship skills, problem-solving, social competence, emotion recognition, theory of mind, and problem-solving. In addition, specific interaction skills such as initiation, ... & Folk, L. (1992). Teaching social skills to students with autism to increase peer interactions in an integrated first-grade classroom. Journal of ...

  13. Social skills for autistic teenagers

    Social skills training. Some autism therapies and supports are designed to teach and develop social skills. For example, Stop Think Do uses problem-solving strategies. The Secret Agent Society (SAS) is a program that you can get as a computer game, board game or group therapy sessions.

  14. Teaching Individuals with Autism Problem-Solving Skills for Resolving

    Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have difficulty resolving social conflicts, yet this skill is important for successful social interaction, maintenance of relationships, and functional integration into society.

  15. Enhancing social problem solving in children with autism and normal

    Children with autism have difficulty in solving social problems and in generating multiple solutions to problems. They are, however, relatively skilled in responding to visual cues such as pictures and animations.

  16. (PDF) Teaching Individuals with Autism Problem-Solving Skills for

    Keywords Autism . Executive function . Perspective taking . Problem solving . Social conflict Problem solving is traditionally defined as the ability to iden- See Szabo (2020) for a conceptual analysis of problem tify the problem and then create solutions for the problem solving. (Agran et al., 2002).

  17. [PDF] Teaching Individuals with Autism Problem-Solving Skills for

    A nonconcurrent multiple baseline across participants design to assess the efficacy of a problem-solving training and generalization of problem solving to naturally occurring untrained social conflicts showed that using the worksheet was successful in bringing about a solution to social conflicts occurring in the natural environment. Resolving social conflicts is a complex skill that involves ...

  18. Verbal Problem-Solving Difficulties in Autism Spectrum Disorders and

    Problem Solving in People with ASD. A simple example of this is seen on the Twenty Questions Task (TQT), a verbal problem-solving 1 test based on the traditional guessing game [Mosher & Hornsby, 1966].In the TQT, the experimenter selects a target from a picture array of everyday objects, and the participant asks a series of questions to establish its identity.

  19. Problem Solving

    KIDS PICTURE SUDOKU Pokémon Printable Puzzles for Beginners : Critical Thinking & Problem Solving Skills. by Kelli. ★ 1-up on a letter-sized page.★ This file prints on 8.5" W X 11" H letter or A4-sized paper.★ Images and text are NOT editable.INSTANT ♥ DOWNLOADYou will receive a digital PDF file.

  20. 71+ Free Social Problem-Solving Scenarios

    Students with autism and other social challenges need to learn to problem solve as well. These social problem-solving skills will help them throughout their childhood and into their adulthood. Children can be taught how to problem solve through a guided process of breaking down the problem and using simple steps to solve the problem.

  21. High-Functioning Autism: Challenges of Managing HFA Symptoms

    Challenges with back-and-forth conversation. Trouble with social relationships. Repetitive actions and self-stimulating behaviors (stimming or stims) Limited interests. Highly sensitive. Some people with high-functioning autism only experience mild challenges in their lives because of these symptoms.

  22. Mediating Role of Social Problem-Solving on the Relationship between

    Social problem-solving played the role of a partial mediator in the relationship between autistic traits and depression. Positive problem orientation and negative problem-solving style fully mediated the effects of autistic traits on depression. Conclusion:

  23. Social problem-solving

    Social problem-solving, in its most basic form, is defined as problem solving as it occurs in the natural environment. ... Children with autism and young neuro-typical children have been shown to increase their social problem-solving skills through a computer interface. Social ...