How to train a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder to write persuasive texts. A case study during the lockdown caused by Covid-19

Abstract

This study describes a treatment implemented with a 13.7-year-old child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (conventionally, S; IQ: 111) to enhance his capabilities in writing persuasive texts, a particularly challenging task for individuals with ASD without intellectual disability as it involves a set of socio-cognitive abilities in addition to specific writing skills to persuade a reader. The treatment was implemented via Skype during the lockdown caused by COVID-19. The assessment of the texts took place at three moments: baseline 1, baseline 2 after two weeks, and post-test after an 8 session-treatment. Three criteria were used: presence of structural components (topic, reasons, explanations, counter-arguments, ending); elaborateness of the components; amount of mental state terms. The comparison between S’ performance and typically developing controls at baseline 1 showed marked differences in favour of the controls in all measures, which mostly disappeared at post-test. The discussion focuses on the interpretation of the improvements.