Differences in Adolescents With Down Syndrome and Asperger in a Social Skills Training Program

María Auxiliadora Robles-Bello,Nieves Valalencia-Naranjo,David Sánchez-Teruel,Francisca Barba Colmenero

doi:10.1177/21582440211008889

María Auxiliadora Robles-Bello, Nieves Valalencia-Naranjo + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440211008889

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Journal: SAGE Open	Publication Date: Apr 1, 2021
License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Jaén, University of Córdoba

Abstract

Background/Objective: Researchers have traditionally reported that individuals with Down syndrome possess a strength in their social development, yet the opposite occurs with Asperger’s syndrome. Based on this premise, we sought to assess effectiveness of the social skills training program. Method: Thirty adolescents aged 11 to 14 years with Down syndrome and Asperger’s syndrome participated in the study. Results: Significant differences between both groups were detected in the posttreatment measures and a connection was found between adolescents’ learning potential and the benefits gained. Conclusions: The training program is effective at improving the social skills under evaluation in adolescents with Down syndrome; however, this benefit is greater among adolescents with Asperger’s syndrome.

Highlights

When we talk about social development, we address areas including the development of interpersonal social skills, the capacity for play and having fun, abilities related to independence and self-help, and socially appropriate behavior (Cook & Oliver, 2011)
We aimed to analyze social skills in a sample of adolescents with DS compared with a group of adolescents
With AS matched for age, and to examine their relationship with the level of intelligence and learning potential shown

Summary

Introduction

When we talk about social development, we address areas including the development of interpersonal social skills, the capacity for play and having fun, abilities related to independence and self-help, and socially appropriate behavior (Cook & Oliver, 2011). “interpersonal and social skills” are understood as a complex pattern of responses that prove effective when it comes to exercising self-control and exerting a direct or indirect influence on others via socially appropriate methods and procedures which can be learned (Cook & Oliver, 2011). According to Ruíz (2009), the term “skills” refers to an acquired skill set which socially frames them in an interpersonal context of interaction with others If they are learned, it cannot be assumed that they should already be known, meaning that they can be trained

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