1. McDonald RG, Khawar S, Yacoub N, Cargill MI, Lerner MD, Kang E. Performance- and Theater-Based Interventions for Supporting Social Cognition and Social Communication in Autistic Youth: A Review and Theoretical Synthesis. Semin Speech Lang;2022 (Aug);43(4):255-276.

Social skills interventions (SSIs) are commonly used to improve social functioning in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which is a condition characterized by differences in social cognition and social communication. Although more traditional SSIs have used knowledge-based, didactic instruction, recent research has explored the utility of performance-based SSIs, which use various activities to support implicit learning of social skills in supportive, enriched environments. This article reviews the extant literature evaluating the effectiveness or efficacy of five performance-based SSIs using theater-based approaches on social cognition and social communication. Overall, this body of literature suggests social communication gains that include increased peer interactions, peer liking, and reciprocal friendships, as well as social cognitive gains in theory of mind and affect recognition. This review also discusses theoretical models that may help explain the emerging strengths of performance- and theater-based SSIs with underlying hypotheses related to the social communication and social cognitive differences in ASD. Limitations of performance-based SSIs in the evidence-base include several approaches in initial stages of research with small sample sizes and limited maintenance of effects. Future research should aim to bridge the research-to-practice gap and use more rigorous designs and more diverse samples, including those with cooccurring intellectual disability.

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2. Crooke PJ, Winner MG. Social Thinking Metacognitive Strategies to Support Self-Determined Social Goals in Autistic Youth. Semin Speech Lang;2022 (Aug);43(4):277-298.

On any given day, the social mind is taxed with attending to and making sense of a myriad of social events. The social mind is at work when trying to imagine the experiences of others and their inner mental worlds, and is equally active when people seek to approach, connect with, and sometimes avoid one another. Ultimately, the social mind is responsible for thinking about (social) thinking, or social metacognition. Social metacognitive teaching strategies can be helpful for supporting social learners as they observe social landscapes, interpret what is observed to problem solve, or decide whether and how to produce social responses. This article describes how social metacognitive strategies from the Social Thinking Methodology have been used to support the self-determined social goals of two autistic students. Visual frameworks and their underlying theories are provided as evidence-aligned tools for supporting clinical journeys.

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3. Brien A, Hutchins T. Development of a Manualized Intervention to Support Episodic Memory in Autistic Children: Elaborative Reminiscing Is Key. Semin Speech Lang;2022 (Aug);43(4):299-315.

Episodic memory (EM) is memory for past personal experiences. EM and social development are inextricably linked, and both are impacted in autistic persons. Parents of autistic children can be taught to engage in a unique conversational style (i.e., elaborative reminiscing) to support a child’s memory and social development. This article discusses the importance of EM in autism and describes a new manualized caregiver training to support EM in autistic children. An uncontrolled pre-post study design was employed to test proof of concept. Results affirmed the potential of this intervention for increasing caregivers’ elaborateness and improving children’s EM in a family-centered, naturalistic way. Results suggest that further treatment development and examination of effectiveness are needed. We argue that these kinds of intervention are important: not only is EM theoretically potent for social cognitive development, it is essential for a sense of self-determination, social connection, and psychological well-being.

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4. Hutchins TL. A Review of the Nature and Development of Lying and Deception and Considerations for Teaching Prosocial Lying to Autistic Persons. Semin Speech Lang;2022 (Aug);43(4):316-330.

Compared with their neurotypical (NT) counterparts, persons with autism appear to be less inclined to tell lies and less skilled in delivering sophisticated forms of deception. At the same time, some forms of deception like white lies and prosocial lies are frequent in human interaction because they are important for social success. This article challenges the reader to evaluate the therapeutic potential for prosocial deception and teaching white-lie telling to autistic persons. The nature and development of antisocial and prosocial lying in NT development and autism are reviewed. Considerations for when to (and when not to) teach the skill of empathic lying are discussed and recommendations for how to teach the comprehension and production of prosocial lies are offered.

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5. Hutchins TL. A Review of the Nature and Development of Humor Appreciation and Considerations for Teaching Humor to Autistic Persons. Semin Speech Lang;2022 (Aug);43(4):347-360.

The development of humor is complex and heterogeneous within and across neurotypical and neurodivergent groups. Some autistics develop differences (not deficits) in humor appreciation, whereas others report difficulties « getting the joke » and identify this as in need of support. This is important because humor appreciation and comprehension are linked to psychological well-being and social success. This article describes the therapeutic potential for teaching humor comprehension to autistic persons and the benefit of broader education efforts to forge an understanding of the value of « different senses of humor. » The nature and development of humor comprehension in neurotypical development and autism are reviewed. Considerations for whether and how to teach humor comprehension are offered that maximize goodness-of-fit, prioritize autistic autonomy, and promote the sharing and appreciation of different kinds of « funny. »

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