My 14 year old son has autism, he has always been a happy boy but he is starting to become quite down about not having many close friends. He has tried to make friends but he doesn’t seem to understand the give and take it requires. I have been advised to get him some social skills lessons but can you really teach someone to be social?
Social skills are defined as the ability to communicate appropriately and effectively with others in a variety of situations. However, this is more complex then it seems as it involves being able to understand and appropriately use;
- Verbal behaviour
- Non-verbal behaviour/body language (eye contact, facial expression, gesture, distance, touch, appearance)
- Paralinguistic skills (volume, rate, clarity intonation, fluency)
- Conversation skills (listening, starting a conversation, maintaining a conversation through turn taking, questions, relevance, repairs and how to end a conversation)
- Assertive behaviour (expressing feelings, standing up for yourself, making suggestions, apologising, disagreeing, complaining, requesting)
Socialising and making friends involves a lot of social skills, skills that most people learn through experiences as they grow up. However, many people with learning difficulties and disorders such as autism and down syndrome lack these skills needed for successful social interaction. This can be due to their cognitive level being low meaning it is difficult to learn the skills needed or because they have not had the chance to have the same experiences other children did due to their vulnerability and environment they live in. Characteristics of their disorder can also make it hard for them to understand these skills. For example, often autistic people lack ‘theory of mind’ (the ability to see something from another person’s point of view) meaning they cannot understand why someone would not want to hear all the James Bond films recited in order.
Teaching social skills is based on the premise that social skills are learnt as we grow up and so they can be taught! Classes attempt to give people with learning difficulties these experiences in a safe and structured way. By increases their awareness of social situations and teaching basic skills they will be better equipped to seek out real social experiences.
Social skills classes are best run in groups and led by a speech and language therapist. Working in a group means that clients will be able to practice the social skills being taught with each other and it can also help build relationships and friendships. Now attending a social skills group will not mean your child will then go out and find making friends and socialising easy. However, the tools they learn and experience it gives them will build their confidence to try and with practice they will be successful. Spin off sessions, 1:1 with a speech and language therapist, can be implemented after the group to help transfer skills learnt into the clients own environment.
If you know someone who may benefit from social skills classes then Integrated Treatment Services could help by setting up a block of social skills classes in your area. I.T.S is a private Speech and Language Therapy service based in Leicestershire but offer therapy services across the East Midlands, Southern England, Northern England and Northern Ireland.
We specialise in providing highly-skilled Speech and Language Therapists, but also associates with other therapeutic professionals, including Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Psychologists and Arts Psychotherapists.
We are happy to speak with you over the telephone on: 0845 838 2921 or by email info@integratedtreatments.co.uk to give you some advice or discuss how we can help.
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