The Effectiveness of Social Skills training Based onOzonoff Social Cognition Pattern on Empathy and SocialInteraction of Children with High Functioning Autism

Background and

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that occurs in the first three years of a child’s life. The most important symptoms are communication failure, difficulty in social interactions, limited and repetitive patterns in behavior, interests and activities. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of social skills training based on Ozonoff social cognition pattern on empathy and social interaction of children with high functioning autism.

This study was a semi-experimental with pre-test and post-test design with control group. The study sample consisted of 30 children with autism who were undergoing training and rehabilitation in a rehabilitation center in Tehran during the year 2018 and were randomly divided into two experimental and control groups (15 in each group). The social skills program Based on Ozonoff Social Cognition Pattern was conducted to the experimental group in ten 45-minute sessions (two sessions per week). The tools used in this study were Child Empathy and Child Analysis Questionnaire (Auyeung‚ S. Wheelwright‚ C. Allison‚ and et al, 2009) and Autism Social Skills Profile Questionnaire (Scott Bellini, 2006). Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance.

The results showed that social skills training based on Ozonoff social cognition Pattern had a significant positive effect on empathy and social interaction in children with High Functioning Autism (p < 0.05).

Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that teaching social skills program based on Ozonoff Social Cognition Pattern through objectifying abstractions, emphasizing internal factors, understanding the difference between self and others, generalization of learned behaviors to natural environments, enhances the empathy and social interaction levels in children with High Functioning Autism.