Afsharnejad Bahareh, Lee Elinda Ai Lim, Hayden-Evans Maya, Black Melissa H, Alach Tasha, Fridell Anna, Coco Christina, Johnson Mathew, Bölte Sven, Girdler Sonya
School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.
School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.
Scand J Child Adolesc Psychiatr Psychol. 2024 Dec 5;12(1):20240011. doi: 10.2478/sjcapp-2024-0011. eCollection 2024 Jan.
Although autistic individuals are interested in interacting with peers, they express a need for social skills programs that could support them in navigating their daily social world, which is governed by neurotypical social norms.
This study investigated the feasibility and adaptability of the manualised and evidence-based program KONTAKT™ Social Skills Toolbox Group Program in supporting autistic children aged 8 to 12 years in navigating their everyday social worlds.
KONTAKT™ was delivered to 15 autistic children (Mage=10.87, SDage=1.04; 67% male) over 16, 60-minute sessions. A pre-test and post-test design was employed evaluating changes in personally meaningful social goals, social skills, quality of friendship and autistic traits. Focus groups were also conducted and analysed using thematic analysis post completion of the program, exploring participants, their parents and the KONTAKT™ trainer's perceptions of the program.
Findings suggest stakeholders' satisfaction with the program's content and structure, indicating the potential cross-age feasibility of KONTAKT™ in supporting autistic children to achieve their personally meaningful social goals and in improving their social performance navigating their daily social lives.
This feasibility study supported the finalisation of KONTAKT™ children's manual and workbooks, preparing it for further evaluation of its efficacy in a randomised controlled trial. (Australian New Zealand Clinical Registry: 12619000994189; ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04024111).
尽管自闭症患者有与同龄人互动的兴趣，但他们表示需要社交技能项目，以帮助他们在由典型神经社会规范主导的日常社交世界中顺利应对。
本研究调查了基于证据的手册化项目KONTAKT™社交技能工具箱小组项目在支持8至12岁自闭症儿童应对日常社交世界方面的可行性和适应性。
KONTAKT™项目通过16节时长为60分钟的课程，面向15名自闭症儿童（平均年龄Mage = 10.87，标准差SDage = 1.04；67%为男性）开展。采用前测和后测设计，评估个人有意义的社交目标、社交技能、友谊质量和自闭症特征的变化。在项目结束后，还组织了焦点小组讨论，并采用主题分析法进行分析，探讨参与者、他们的父母以及KONTAKT™培训师对该项目的看法。
研究结果表明，利益相关者对该项目的内容和结构感到满意，这表明KONTAKT™在支持自闭症儿童实现其个人有意义的社交目标以及改善他们在日常社交生活中的社交表现方面具有潜在的跨年龄可行性。
这项可行性研究为KONTAKT™儿童手册和练习册的最终定稿提供了支持，为其在随机对照试验中进一步评估疗效做好了准备。（澳大利亚新西兰临床试验注册中心：12619000994189；美国国立医学图书馆临床试验数据库：NCT04024111）
