Effectiveness of emotion recognition training on social and emotional skills in young children with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

The rising prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders necessitates the determination of newlinenovel intervention methods for its management. Since deficits in social skills are one of the most prominent features in ASD, efficient interventions for improving social skills become necessary. Several studies suggest a strong relationship between newlineemotional skills and the acquisition of social skills. Objectives: The objective of this study was to find out the effectiveness of emotion recognition training on the social newlineand emotional skills of children with ASD by obtaining quantitative results from the newlineparticipants after emotion recognition training and then following up in-depth through a qualitative thematic analysis after interview with selected parents of the participants. Method: In the quantitative phase, a sample of ten children within three to six years of age who are diagnosed with ASD were selected for the study. The emotion newlinerecognition training followed the modified and adapted version of the hands-on newlineactivities from the Let s Face It curriculum which was validated after a pilot study. Each child was given 20 to 30 sessions of training. The participants were assessed for their social skills using VABS-3 and emotional skills were assessed using CDDC, newlinebefore, during, and after the training. The qualitative phase involved an interview with newlinethe parent using a semi-structured guide. Results: The quantitative and qualitative newlineresults indicated that there is a significant difference in the social skills and emotional newlineskills of the children after the training. The results also showed a sufficient newlinegeneralization of the skills achieved. Incidental finding revealed reduction of problem behaviours. Conclusions: The study clearly shows that emotion recognition training is effective in improving social and emotional skills in children with ASD.