Effects of Simulation Training and Self-Management Procedures on Acquisition and Generalization of Social Skills Involved in Eating Out: Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

The present study investigated the efficacy of simulation training for teaching social skills relating to eating out to adults with autism spectrum disorder (N = 3; males; age 23-24 years). The simulation training was conducted in a public facility, in a setting that resembled an actual restaurant. The participants were trained on 5 social skills, for example, (a) talking with their companions while waiting for the meal to be served, (b) opening the menu so that others could also see it, and (c) saying 'excuse me, please,' when leaving their seat. The particular social skills trained were chosen depending on the participant. During a pre-test in an actual restaurant, the participants all made incorrect responses. The training included lectures and self-management training in addition to the simulation training. The results indicated that all 3 participants acquired most of the skills that they had been taught in the simulation training. In a post-test in the simulation setting, the participants initiated some of the social skills that they had been taught. Furthermore, response generalization was observed in a post-test in an actual restaurant. At a follow up 15 months later, the participants were observed to have maintained some of the social skills. These results suggest that the simulation training may have been effective for teaching the social skills relating to eating out. Future studies should examine expanding the application of simulation training to other aspects, generalization to daily life, and enhancing well-being and quality of life. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)