The Use of Video Self-Modeling and Peer Training to Increase Social Engagement in Preschool Children on the Autism Spectrum

Impairments in social functioning are common in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and can create great difficulties in the life of an individual on the autism spectrum. Social skill deficits increase the likelihood of children experiencing social failure, peer rejection, and isolation, leaving them vulnerable to developing anxiety, depression, and other forms of psychopathology. The present study expands previous research addressing deficits in social functioning, through the implementation of a video self-modeling (VSM) procedure and a brief peer-training intervention. The VSM-only phase led to rapid and marked increases in social engagement for all three preschool- aged children with ASD. The addition of a peer-training intervention did not lead to improvements in social engagement when compared to the VSM-only phase. The findings are discussed within the context of previous research, and suggestions for future research and implications for school psychologists and other school personnel are provided.